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ISTE 2018: Everything You Need to Know Before the Show Begins

Whether you’re heading to the conference or following reports online, we’ve got a rundown of what to expect.

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Education and technology leaders will soon be making their way to Chicago for the ISTE 2018 Conference & Expo, one of the year’s largest events to highlight the latest innovations in K–12 educational technology.

Featuring hundreds of experiential workshops, vendor demos of the latest technology and at least two dozen interactive explorations of hot topics in ed tech, ISTE’s conference will likely influence educators around the world to introduce new technologies into their classrooms.

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Kicking off the conference on Sunday Night, educators will hear from neuroscientist David Eagleman, author of The Brain: The Story of You. Eagleman’s expert understanding of the decision-making process and how to redirect and maximize brain power is sure to provide food for thought.

Novelist Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Artemis, will deliver a keynote Tuesday morning. An experienced software engineer, Weir will take the stage to discuss some of the ways science can open students to a world of creative possibilities.

In the closing presentation on Wednesday, attendees will hear from Nadia Lopez, founder of the Mott Hall Bridges Academy in New York City. Lopez is a champion of lifting up struggling school systems by encouraging students to go out and enact change in their community.

“This year’s keynote speakers demonstrate bold thinking around some of the most critical education topics, including the learning sciences, digital creation and equity,” says ISTE CEO Richard Culatta. “The incredible professional learning and peer networking experiences planned at ISTE 2018 ensure all educators are inspired and equipped to bring innovative learning practices back to their classrooms, schools and communities.”

This year’s conference will feature a number of presentations crowdsourced from ISTE members, on topics ranging from leadership practices to building classroom accessibility.

Conferencegoers can also check out new technology like ISTE’s recently announced EdTech Advisor, a collaboration platform that lets teachers and ed tech developers work together to create tools for specific classroom needs.

The EdTech team will provide live coverage of the event, so check out our upcoming conference landing page for daily posts and videos, and follow #ISTE18 for tweets from the event floor.

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