A Whole New Technology Learning Experience Awaits You at the T+L Conference
October 17-19, 2007
Opryland, Nashville, Tennessee
Exhibition & Conference Sessions held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

T+L is THE educational technology event for district leadership teams. Presented by the National School Boards Association (NSBA), T+L provides a truly unique learning experience for teams of technology directors, superintendents, school board members, district administrators, principals, and lead teachers.

This year’s event focuses on SIX big ideas of interest to every educator:

• Professional DevelopmentProfessional development is consistently identified as one of the most critical factors for successful technology outcomes in K-12 education. Today it can be delivered online, face-to-face, or in a blended model. Perhaps it takes place over the summer in a special institute, in a multi-disciplinary planning period during the day, or after school. Maybe your district uses a “train-the trainer” model or financial incentives. But regardless of the delivery model or timing, content is key. Technology training is best embraced when embedded in content that is directly linked to the district’s education goals. Get the inside story and motivation tips from some of the nation’s leading districts and trainers.
• One-to-One InitiativesIn 2003, only 4% of the districts in the US had any kind of 1-to-1 program. That number reached 24% in 2006 and it’s a trend that is expected to grow. Whether your district has decided on laptops, PDAs, tablets, or some other type of student appliance, there are a number of important issues to consider. At T+L get answers to questions like:
  • How does such a program support your education plan?
  • Have you built sufficient community support?
  • How do you plan to fund or refresh the equipment?
  • What type of professional development do you have planned?
  • Have decided on 24x7 access or just school use?
  • Will you subsidize home Internet access for low income students?
  • Are your school resources accessible online from home?
  • Will you eliminate textbooks?
• Tools for the ClassroomToday’s students were born into a media-rich world, yet many classrooms fail to use modern technologies that will excite and engage them. From the latest in games and simulations to the use of video production, T+L will explore the tools that are available now and in the future. Robotics, biotechnology, and the high tech world of music and art are transforming the traditional curriculum. E-portfolios and electronic IEPs (individual education plans) have become a reality in a world where an iPod can be the perfect tool to help a second language speaker. Virtual schools open a world of possibilities for remote students while online access to homework helps all parents get involved. Hear the latest national data about the way students view their use of technology in school.
• 21st Century SkillsThere’s a growing consensus that today’s students need more than the basics to effectively compete in a global economy. It’s not about adding courses, but literally transforming the way all core content is taught to help students develop the critical thinking skills that will be essential in the future. In an increasingly electronic world, students need solid ICT (Information and Communication Technology) skills to access, manage, evaluate, and construct information as well as knowing how to behave online. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills will share its comprehensive framework while other education leaders will showcase the tools they are developing to implement and assess these new skills.
• Using Data to Improve Student AchievementLove it or hate it, NCLB caused districts to take a new look at the way they collect, use and share data. Formative assessment tools help educators understand how to adjust instruction throughout the year to better ensure success on the high stakes tests at the end. Yet just collecting the data isn’t enough. Today, data solutions exist all the way down to teachers’ desktops to help them create differentiated instructional experiences to meet each student’s unique learning challenges. At T+L, discover products that can help make data “user-friendly” and hear how districts are making significant education gains. In addition, learn how some districts are using data to more effectively manage their administrative operations.
• Open Source InitiativesAfter reasonably slow growth in the US K-12 community, open source technologies are starting to grab the headlines. A statewide initiative in Indiana has thousands of machines running open-source operating systems at a huge cost-savings. But do you know the right questions to ask when considering a switch? Do you even know what open source means?! Why has the adoption of open technologies in the US lagged behind the rest of the world? Get the “big picture” from some of the nation’s leading voices or talk to your peers in informal roundtable sessions to get your specific questions answered.

With thought-provoking keynote speakers, popular expert seminars, district led workshops, hands on sessions, in-depth mini-academies, and plenty of networking opportunities, you’ll find the level of detail you’ll need to take new, practical knowledge back to your district and apply it immediately.

Join us at T+L for the Experience of the Year!

Click here to join the T+L Online Community!
This is a great opportunity for you to network with colleagues from across the country who share your interests and challenges. Create your own conference schedule and search by workshop, session, or product to seek those with similar interests.