Jan 06 2026
Management

FETC 2026: K–12 IT Leaders to Learn About Technology’s Future

Held in Orlando, Fla., this year’s event promises even more opportunities for professional development and networking.

For more than 40 years, the Future of Education Technology Conference has offered educational sessions, networking and hands-on workshops for K–12 educators and technology leaders. As 2026 kicks off, these attendees will gather at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 11–14, to learn about the latest trends and technologies shaping K–12 education. The conference covers a range of topics, including cybersecurity and school safety, emerging technology, digital citizenship, esports, learning space design and more.

Keynote Speakers Focus on Education’s Future

As part of FETC 2026 programming, two keynote sessions will focus on empowering students and teachers for the future of teaching and learning.

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On Monday, Jan. 12, at 9 a.m., Alana Winnick, educational technology director for New York’s Pocantico Hills Central School District and founder of Students for Innovation, will share her tips for creating a school culture that allows students to feel seen and heard and to play a role in shaping their own education. After the session, Winnick will be signing 200 copies of her book, The Generative Age.

On Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 8 a.m., Tech Share LIVE! returns to FETC with a high-energy panel showcasing the latest in educational technology, including artificial intelligence, game-based learning, robotics, video creation tools and more. The session will include demonstrations and commentary on these ed tech tools, hosted by Adam Bellow, CEO and co-founder of the immersive gaming platform Breakout EDU; Leslie Fisher, director of lesliefisher.com; and Adam Phyall III, director of professional learning and leadership at All4Ed.

FETC Exhibit Hall Offers Hands-On Activities

The FETC Expo Hall gives attendees the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and try out some of these new technologies for themselves. In the expo hall’s center court, the new 3D printing/makerspace will offer six stations of hands-on activities to bolster STEM skills. Also new in the center court this year is a hands-on robotics lab that shows attendees how to build, code and test classroom robots.

ICYMI: Check out our coverage from ISTELive25.

CDW’s esports arena, where attendees can experience competitive play, returns this year with live matches and demonstrations that show how esports can transform student engagement.

FETC Sessions Address Trending Topics and Tech in K–12 Education

The conference agenda features hundreds of sessions covering everything from cybersecurity and emerging technologies to workforce development and digital literacy. Here are a few that are notable:

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