For more than 40 years, the Future of Education Technology® Conference has equipped education leaders with knowledge of the newest state-of-the-art technologies and best practices through the voices of those on the front lines of innovation. With more than 700 sessions planned, the January 2023 conference in New Orleans will truly inspire and motivate those whose goal is to create a school environment that models success.
Those of you who are first-time attendees may have a lot of questions and uncertainty about what to expect, and you’re not alone. Here’s what two attendees say they hope to see at FETC 2023, one of whom will be attending for the first time.
Craig McBain, professional learning specialist
Craig McBain has worn multiple hats in the field of education, among them technology director at a large public K-12 school district in Michigan, instructional technology coordinator, and elementary school teacher. Now retired, he conducts training for educators on behalf of training partners.
Looking ahead to FETC 2023, McBain says this is his fifth time attending the conference. Like most repeat attendees, he enjoys reconnecting with his colleagues.
“I really like learning the latest developments in my favorite products, of course,” he says. “It’s also great to see some of my favorite online friends in person at the conference. I belong to the community of Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts, and the conference is a terrific opportunity to reconnect with colleagues.”
Most notably, McBain will be presenting a session featuring the latest features of PowerPoint with a unique twist. For the second year now, he will be joined by his daughter.
“This will be the second time I’ve co-presented with my daughter, Megan. It’s very special,” he explains. “Megan trains Detroit teachers on Office 365 all day long, so I was delighted when she stepped in to lead ‘Making Meetings Meaningful with Microsoft Teams.’ She brings an abundance of energy, knowledge and creativity to this presentation. Then she joins me in my never-ending battle against ugly slides in ‘I Didn’t Know You Could Do That in PowerPoint.’ With some awareness of the latest features, participants learn how easy it is to take their PowerPoint from drab to dapper.”
According to McBain, each year brings new ideas pertinent to the world of education technology.
“The presenters at FETC always surprise us with new ideas and new spins and new features,” he says. “It reminds me of a magic show except that, when you leave, you can do the same magic. As a trainer and educator, it’s fantastic to come back from the conference and share the magic.”
FETC 2023
The Future of Education Technology® Conference takes place live and in-person Jan. 23-26, 2023, in New Orleans. Register now!
Don Killingbeck, superintendent at Hemlock Public Schools, Michigan
An education leader nearing the 10-year mark as superintendent of his district, Dr. Killingbeck will be attending his first FETC conference ever in January. As someone who understands the importance of education technology, he helped lead his district to become the 2022 Innovative District of the Year.
“When we were sent home on a Friday during the pandemic, we flipped the switch, and students were learning virtually the following Monday,” he says.
When asked what he’s most looking forward to at the conference, he says he believes it will be a chance to network with “like-minded edtech people that are outside my day-to-day scope.”
At the 2023 conference, Dr. Killingbeck and his team will present “43 Ways To Be Less Lame at FETC 2023.”
“We hope to have a wide variety of people attend, from classroom teachers to district leaders and everyone in between,” he says. “We have a ton to learn at our first FETC, but we also hope to share at least 43 things from our experience and work.”
The session is expected to be light-hearted and exciting, per the presentation description.
“’43 Educational Tips on how to be Less Lame: step one, attend this session,'” the description reads. “This session will be filled with laughs, something for everyone, and 42 more practical tips. There will be takeaways that can immediately impact student learning and teaching in your classroom(s), building, or district-wide.”
View the full program agenda here, or register for FETC 2023.
More from DA: Repeat attenders: Why they say FETC ‘is needed now more than ever’
