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ISTE 2016: What You Need to Know Before the Show

Are you headed to the conference later this month? Don't miss our rundown of what to expect at the show.

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Meg is an editor for the CDW family of technology magazine websites.

Upwards of 16,000 educators will gather for four-plus days of workshops, demonstrations and lively discussions during the 2016 ISTE Conference & Expo, which runs from June 26 to 29 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

The biggest educational technology event of the year, ISTE 2016 kicks off with preconference activities on June 24 and 25.

Keynotes at this year’s event include a Sunday speech by Michio Kaku, a theoretical physicist who not only has contributed to string theory but also hosts a weekly radio program, has authored several popular-science books and embraced a slightly tongue-in-cheek role in a recent TurboTax commercial.

Ruha Benjamin, an assistant professor in Princeton University’s Department of African American Studies, will speak about the relationship between technology and equality during her Tuesday keynote. Third-grade teacher and Hack the Classroom blogger Michelle Cordy will close out the event with her Wednesday keynote.

Here’s What’s New at the 2016 Show

While this year’s conference will cover many of the same topics as years past — including digital citizenship, collaboration and innovation — organizers chose to put the focus on interactivity by adding even more hands-on learning playgrounds. Explore subjects such as digital storytelling, STEM and mobile learning on Monday; games and virtual environments, teacher educators, and Google for Education on Tuesday; and global learning and innovative education on Wednesday.

Marking another new addition to this year’s show, participant-driven campfires will give attendees the chance to sound off on a range of topics. The two-hour events will take place after hours on Monday and Tuesday.

Not Attending the Conference?

Educators who can’t make it to ISTE this year can still catch plenty of the action by following conference presenters and @ISTEConnects on Twitter and other social media channels. The #ISTE2016 hashtag will keep everyone in on the conversation.

The ISTE 2016 mobile app also allows educators to save resources, page through conference news and follow trending topics on social media, while the EdTekHub culls blog posts, video and images in one place.

EdTech’s ISTE 2016 landing page will provide instant access to articles about the hottest sessions and keynotes, plus videos from the show floor. Check back frequently for updates.

How to Maximize Your Time on the Floor

Faced with hundreds of booths in the expo hall, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options. ISTE blogger Maureen Yoder offers this advice for making the most of the experience:

Pinpoint your goals so you know exactly what you want to get out of the expo.
Make a plan of action, mapping a route to only those booths that support your goals.
Before you arrive, download the ISTE 2016 mobile app and study the interactive floor plan in advance of the show.
Wear comfortable shoes, charge your cellphone and camera, carry a bag for collecting SWAG and pack snacks.

Yoder also offers this tip to keep your hand from cramping during the show: “Print stickers with your contact information to save time filling out those many raffle forms.”

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