Why Should You Attend a Technology Conference?

1.  Geek out

Even though you may not consider yourself a geek, there is something that you are interested in that someone else is really passionate about.  It could be that you really really love PowerPoint, or you can't live without instaGrok.  Regardless, you can spend an hour talking about your love without anyone batting an eye.

2.  Make professional connections

Conferences gather a wide range of people: vendors, school administrators, media center specialists, teachers, national education speakers, etc.  Talk to these people and you can develop a professional relationship that will benefit you both for years.  I recently met a Pearson executive who was at a conference networking and establishing sales.  But, in my conversation with him, I discovered the free tool autoCrat for Google Drive.  He told me that it would change my life, and it has.

3.  Find new tools

Many of the speakers at a conference are professionals.  They spend their time consulting with school districts and researching new technologies.  You may not have the time to discover new tools between teaching, lunch duty, grading, coaching, etc, but these people do.  I guarantee that you will learn at least 3 new tools at each conference, regardless of how tech-savvy you are.

4.  Enjoy time spent learning

Oftentimes, we are so focused on teaching or managing that we forget how much we love learning.  We entered education because we loved learning, but we don't often focus on it.  By attending a conference, you will get a few days just to learn new techniques and tools.

5.  Connect away from work

Conferences offer you a chance to meet your co-workers away from students and the job.  You can learn about your peers and develop personal connections that will make your teaching better.  It is often difficult for us to connect with our peers when we are closeted in our rooms or offices.