Finding and exploring new ideas is one of the most important parts of educators’ jobs. We need to learn new things and improve our skills while keeping up with the latest and upcoming trends. The yearly gathering of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the perfect place for this. This year, the ISTELive 23 conference takes center stage in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, on June 25-28, and I look forward to being there. The conference is a great place for professionals to meet, share their experiences, learn from others, and find out about exciting educational technology and best practices that can be used in the classroom.

At this year’s conference, there will be more than 900 sessions with the newest and best edtech products. One thing I am excited about is ISTEVerse, which provides immersive learning spaces that show how AR and VR can be used to create dynamic, interactive learning adventures for students. Teachers will be able to use a VR headset or handheld AR device to see current, emerging, and future spatial learning applications. The ISTEverse will offer immersive learning in social sciences, history, engineering, creativity, mathematics, science, and workforce development for everyone. 

The ISTELive conference features a diverse array of speakers who are leading voices in the field of education, some of whom I hope to bring on as guests on the Flipboard EDU Podcast. For instance, Joyce Abbott, a veteran educator from Andrew Hamilton School in Philadelphia, caught my eye. She is one of the inspirations behind the hit TV show “Abbott Elementary” and is known for her work on improving school climate and culture.

I hope to catch up with Richard Culatta, the CEO of ASCD and ISTE. An internationally recognized innovator and learning designer,he has served in various roles, including as chief innovation officer for the state of Rhode Island, and executive director of the Office of Educational Technology for the U.S. Department of Education under President Obama. Richard is known for his efforts to expand connectivity in schools, promote personalized learning, and develop the National Education Technology Plan.

Finally, I look forward to the closing session on the mainstage to see Shahd Abdalla speak; she is an upcoming senior at the Science Leadership Academy, and part of the academy’s CTE Engineering program. She is also the co-chair of Educon, an event that hosts open discussions about the principles of teaching by individuals from all around the country.

Educator empowerment is the focus of a number of session tracks, which will assist in the mission of closing the learning loss gap. 

If you cannot make it to Philly, you can watch all of ISTELive 23’s sessions, including keynote speaker sessions, breakout sessions, and poster presentations, virtually. This also enables teachers to learn at their own pace and whenever they have time.

For me, being there as a person means that I get to connect with colleagues, and perhaps sing some karaoke. I hope to collaborate, communicate, and educate with the best educators in the world at ISTELive 2023!

—William Jeffery is curating Flipboard EDU Podcast

William “Coach” Jeffery is an award-winning digital learning educator and principal at Columbia High School in Texas. His tech pedagogy continues to drive him to curate educational content on Flipboard that highlights teaching strategies, edtech, and ways to improve student success. He hosts the “Flipboard EDU Podcast” as yet another way to share resources with peers.