Welcome Dinner at Twenty Eight

Live event registration

Welcome and Introductions
Attendees participate in an ice-breaker activity to meet new colleagues and get ready for a day of idea sharing. 

Keynote: Making EdTech More Accessible
Gillian Hayes, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate Division at University of California, Irvine, discusses how better communication with students and more representation within edtech are just some ways we can better serve all special education students with technology.

Working Groups and Partner Meetings
Attendees either participate in a facilitated small group discussions focused on important topics related to strategic planning or meet with industry partners. Topics will include:

• Career & College Readiness: How are schools preparing their students for jobs that might not yet exist? This session explores the importance of developing the soft skills needed for tomorrow’s workforce
  Presenter - Jorrel Batac
   
• Data Privacy & Security: How do districts manage access to data in safe, efficient ways? Attendees share their policies and best practices. 
  Presenter - Bruce Neff
   
• “Learning Loss” -- or “Learning Realignment?”: How are districts assessing and addressing learning loss -- and gains? And are these assessments delivering an accurate, unbiased  picture of what students are learning? Attendees will share their experiences and perspectives.  
   
• Technology Management/Building Sustainable Classrooms: How are districts building a sustainable, equitable  technology infrastructure? How are they ensuring all students are connected? Attendees discuss their plans for device management/refreshes, and building robust, scalable networks.
  Presenter - LeAnn Morris

Lunch & Networking

Panel: Why Esports in K-12?
JuanPablo Larios, CTE Design & Media Arts Teacher at Villa Park HS, Esports Coach, and 2020 NASEF Scholastic Fellow, will moderate a student panel that will discuss how esports in K-12 can open up a wide array of college and career opportunities.

Working Groups & Partner Meetings
Attendees either participate in a facilitated small group discussions focused on important topics related to strategic planning or meet with industry partners. Topics include:

• Changing Pedagogy: How has the pandemic changed the ways schools teach and students learn? Attendees explore new approaches to innovative pedagogy. 
   
• Ending Silos: Shared responsibilities across department lines (curriculum, accountability, HR, Business office, etc) Having a seat at the table when decisions are being made. How solutions are made or created. 
   
• Professional Development: How are districts supporting the ever-evolving professional needs of their staff? Attendees discuss new ways to engage their teachers through professional development.
  Presenter - Ling Lam 
   
• Rethinking Learning Spaces: In this session, attendees will discuss how they have created effective learning spaces and what technology they use to support these new spaces.
  Presenter - Jim Klein

Panel: Esports Careers: More Than Just Gaming 
Meet the team behind UCI’s Esports Arena, regarded as one of the best and most comprehensive in the world. This program is more than just a thriving gaming community -- it is a career opportunity. The program connects students to internships and careers in related industries, and many of the program’s alumni have found jobs in or adjacent to the esports industry, from broadcasting to sales and marketing to content creation.

Tour of UC Irvine’s Esports Arena
Attendees will take a tour of UCI Esports Arena, the first of its kind on a college campus. The arena is decked out in a 3,500 sq. ft. space with 72 top-of-the-line iBUYPOWER computers, Logitech gaming gear, and gaming chairs. In addition to the PCs, the arena has a Console & Community Corner where campus clubs and organizations can host events and meetings and demo virtual reality. The arena also houses UC Irvine’s Broadcast Station.

Awards & Passport to Prizes Drawing
The winners of the Tech & Learning Innovative Leader awards are announced. Afterward, we will draw 3 Passport to Prizes winners.