SXSWedu PanelPicker is Live

The public voting period for SXSWedu is upon us, and we would love your help in bringing The Learning Accelerator back to Austin! Would you mind taking a few minutes to vote for our sessions described below? (If you aren't registered to vote for SXSWedu sessions yet, you can click here to create your account and cast your votes. Voting ends August 30.)

Blended & Personalized Learning Toolbox

Educators and leaders strive to ensure that ALL students are supported in an effective and equitable manner. Integrating technology with in-person instruction through blended learning can be a powerful way to achieve this goal. This interactive, learner-centered session offers stations featuring: tangible practice strategies backed by learning science; guidance around the critical decisions leaders face (e.g. scaling innovation across a district), and resources for personalizing professional learning. Speakers include members of The Learning Accelerator team, Beth Rabbitt, Juliana Finegan, and Saro Mohammed.

When Too Much Data Blocks Student Progress

Technology holds a lot of promise for improving student learning, but the state of data is messy. Educators are overwhelmed by massive amounts of data from multiple programs and spend too much time making sense of it. This session explores data interoperability and data sharing: how data can work together to improve instruction. The panel will discuss perspectives from vendors, educators, and data experts, all of whom need to work together to realize the potential of education technology. Speakers include Daniel Owens, Partner, The Learning Accelerator, Alex Sigillo, Research Project Manager, EdSurge, and Ed Comer, Founder and President, Student1.

Onboarding Teachers for Innovation With Innovation

Many schools have developed innovative models, incorporating blended/personalized learning, to better support student needs. As with any shift, engaging and developing educators is key to success! Consequently, schools are grappling with how to effectively onboard and support teachers who enter with various experience and understanding. Come tackle this challenge with the TLA Innovation Directors Network as they share tangible resources and concrete ways to strategically onboard your educators! Speakers include Jin-Soo Huh, Executive Director of Academic Innovation, Distinctive Schools, Juliana Finegan, Partner, The Learning Accelerator, Kristen Watkins, Director of Personalized Learning, Dallas Independent School District, and Dewayne McClary, Director of Digital Learning and Innovation, DC Public Schools.

Learning Sciences and Edtech: Uncovering the Facts

Have you ever heard a new research study that contradicts the study you learned about just last month? Have you ever read conclusions of a study and after all of the cautions, you have no idea if anything was learned at all? Do you wonder if we can ever truly know anything about learning? Actually, researchers know much about learning, but haven't made the evidence-base actionable for others. In this panel, 4 learning scientists share the evidence and how edtech can help make it a reality. Speakers include Katrina Stevens, Director of Learning Science, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Aubrey Francisco, Chief Research Officer, Digital Promise, Alexandra Resch, Interim Senior Program Officer, Measurement Learning and Evaluation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melina Uncapher, CEO, Co-founder, Institute for Applied Neuroscience, and Saro Mohammed, Partner, The Learning Accelerator.

Better Blended Learning with Data Interoperability

Data interoperability standards and solutions are critical for helping schools connect the dots between the tools and platforms learners use to progress along personalized pathways. By empowering teachers and students to access and make sense of learning data, schools are taking blended approaches to the next level. In this session, we will discuss strategies and share case studies that demonstrate how data interoperability is advancing personalized learning for stakeholders at all levels. Speakers include Margaret Roth, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Yet Analytics, Orly Friedman, Head of Lower School & Interim Head of School, Khan Lab School, Erin Mote, Executive Director, InnovateEDU, and Beth Rabbitt, CEO, The Learning Accelerator.

Thank you and hope to see you in Austin!