ISTE Conference & Expo

ISTE Conference & Expo
Name	ISTE Conference & Expo
Status	Active
Genre	Education technology conference
Frequency	Annual
Venue	Varies
Location	Varies
First	1979
Organizer	International Society for Technology in Education

ISTE Conference & Expo

The ISTE Conference & Expo is an annual education technology convening that brings together educators, administrators, policymakers, researchers, vendors, and advocates from across North America and internationally. Held in rotating host cities, the conference features keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, poster sessions, an extensive expo floor, and networking events designed to advance instructional practice and technology integration in K–12 and higher education settings.

Overview

The conference connects leaders from International Society for Technology in Education with delegations from U.S. Department of Education, representatives from UNESCO, delegations associated with OECD, and education practitioners from districts such as New York City Department of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Chicago Public Schools. Speakers and attendees often include authors and researchers affiliated with institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, Teachers College, Columbia University, and MIT, alongside technology companies including Google, Microsoft, Apple Inc., Adobe Inc., and Amazon Web Services. The event hosts sessions informed by work from scholars connected to Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and policy groups like Brookings Institution, Center for American Progress, and American Enterprise Institute. Partnerships and sponsorships frequently involve organizations such as ISTE Standards Coalition members, district consortia like CoSN, and associations including National Education Association, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and AASA, The School Superintendents Association.

History

Origins trace to educator gatherings tied to International Society for Technology in Education and predecessor conferences that paralleled initiatives from National Educational Computing Conference and other 20th-century symposia. Over decades the conference evolved alongside milestones linked to Personal Computer Revolution, the advent of Internet, and standards movements influenced by documents from International Society for Technology in Education and research from SRI International, RAND Corporation, Pew Research Center, and EDUCAUSE. High-profile keynote presenters have included figures associated with Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Sal Khan, Sugata Mitra, Sir Ken Robinson, and Malala Yousafzai (through advocacy networks). Venues have rotated through cities such as San Antonio, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Diego, and Atlanta, reflecting collaborations with local hosts like Dallas Independent School District and higher education partners such as University of California, Los Angeles and University of Texas at Austin.

Conference Program and Keynotes

The program typically features keynote addresses, featured sessions, concurrent workshops, and pre-conference institutes led by thought leaders from Howard Gardner-linked research, scholars from Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and practitioners from districts like Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Houston Independent School District. Keynotes and strands have spotlighted innovators affiliated with Khan Academy, Code.org, Common Sense Media, ISTE Standards, and start-ups backed by Y Combinator and NewSchools Venture Fund. Sessions frequently incorporate frameworks associated with UNESCO Education 2030, makerspace movements connected to Maker Faire, computer science education initiatives led by CSforALL, and assessment work from ETS and ACT, Inc..

Exhibits and Expo Floor

The expo floor brings exhibitors from multinational corporations such as Dell Technologies, HP Inc., Intel Corporation, Lenovo, Samsung, and Logitech International, alongside education technology providers like Blackboard Inc., Canvas (Instructure), Schoology, Zoom Video Communications, Nearpod, Kahoot!, Seesaw, Flipgrid, and Remind (company). Start-up pavilions have featured alumni of accelerators like Techstars and StartEd Accelerator, while nonprofit exhibitors include DonorsChoose, Ashoka, and Project Lead The Way. The expo offers product demonstrations, vendor-led workshops, and hands-on maker spaces influenced by partnerships with FabLab, FIRST Robotics Competition, and LEGO Education.

Attendees, Membership, and Community Impact

Attendees range from classroom teachers and technology coaches to district CTOs, university faculty, library media specialists, and teacher-preparation program leaders from institutions like Arizona State University, University of Florida, and Michigan State University. Membership networks linked to International Society for Technology in Education include regional affiliates, special interest groups, and communities of practice coordinated with groups such as ISTE Certification, National Science Teachers Association, International Baccalaureate, and Council for Exceptional Children. The conference catalyzes collaborations among vendors, school districts, philanthropic donors like Walton Family Foundation, and research bodies such as National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, influencing procurements, professional learning policies, and instructional strategies.

Awards, Certifications, and Research Initiatives

The event showcases award programs and certification pathways tied to ISTE Standards work, including recognition for educators and leaders similar in profile to prizes from MacArthur Fellows Program-level visibility or disciplinary awards coordinated with EdTech Digest, AASL National School Library Program of the Year, and accolades from Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence. Research initiatives presented at the conference often involve collaborations with SRI International, RAND Corporation, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Learning Policy Institute, and highlight studies funded by National Science Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Professional certification offerings have been developed in partnership with higher education providers and credentialing organizations such as Western Governors University and Digital Promise.

Category:Educational conferences