Help Set the Agenda for SXSW EDU 2019

The time has once again come to help set the agenda for one of the year’s most exciting education events! Next March, the 2019 SXSW EDU Conference & Festival will bring together thousands of educators, students, and industry insiders for a week of intense professional learning, networking, and inspiration.

The annual Panel Picker process uses community voting to help make sure that each year’s lineup at SXSW EDU includes the topics that attendees want to hear about most. This year we’ve submitted six Panel Picker proposals to explore some of the biggest ideas and trends in education and learning science today.

Learn about our Panel Picker proposals below, and remember to cast your votes by August 30, 2018. We hope to see you next year in Austin!

Beyond ABCs and 123s: Going Deeper with SEL

Providing effective and research-based social emotional learning (SEL) is critical for early childhood education. This panel will offer insights and practical advice from leading researchers on delivering culturally responsive SEL to engage and empower early learners.

Speakers:

• Christine Gouveia , Vice President, Applied Learning Sciences, McGraw-Hill
• Akimi Gibson, Vice President, Sesame Workshop
• Tracy Spinrad, Professor, Author, Arizona State University
• Roberto Rivera, Chief Empowerment Officer, 7 Mindsets

Does This Tech Work? Rethinking Efficacy Research

How can we use data to prove learning technology really works and avoid the pitfalls of randomized controlled trials? In this session, a data scientist shares new ideas for how we can structure efficacy research. Can we democratize efficacy by making it an intrinsic part of tech design?

Speaker:

• Shirin Mojarad, Lead Data Scientist, McGraw-Hill

How College Leaders Are Addressing Affordability

The average student loan debt after college today stands at $34,000 versus $20,000 just a decade ago. How are college leaders thinking about affordability to prepare students for success after school? An open discussion of proven ways and new ideas to address the college cost crisis.

Speakers:

• Blll Okun, President, McGraw-Hill Higher Education
• Phillip Anaya, Digital and OER Coordinator, Alamo Colleges District

Neuromyths: Five Myths About How People Learn

From people being left or right-‘brained’ to having defined learning styles, there are countless questions and ideas about the mind works. In this session, a learning scientist discusses the research behind five common neuromyths in education and explains how they may actually detract from learning.

Speaker:

• Christine Gouveia, Vice President of Applied Learning Sciences, McGraw-Hill

Learning Science Truths All Educators Should Know About

Learning science research continues to redefine what we know about people learn, but which findings are the most valuable for today’s educators? In this moderated panel, three learning scientists share insights that all educators can apply in their own learning or classroom instruction.

Speakers:

• Robert Feldman, Senior Advisor to the Chancellor , University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Ryan Baker, Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania
• Jennifer Kotler, Vice President, Content Research and Evaluation, Sesame Workshop
• Tanya Joosten, Co-Director, National Research Center for Distance Education and Technological Advancements; Director, Digital Learning Research and Development, Academic Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee