Conventions

Mar. 15-17, 2012. ITEEA is short for the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association.  Members are teachers, administrators, developers, and university personnel who are committed to providing the best technology and engineering resources today to bring forward tomorrow’s future innovators. The organization claims to have developed the only standards-based national model for Grades K-12 that delivers technological literacy. Their model, Engineering by Design, is built on Standards for Technological Literacy (from ITEEA itself); Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM); and Project 2061, Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS).  Students participating in the program learn concepts and principles in an authentic, problem-based environment. So… no problem, engineering-wise….

Mar. 10-12, 2012. The ACE referred to is the American Council on Education, a meeting that attracts over 1,200 presidents, chancellors and other senior administrators from all sectors of American higher education, domestically and abroad.  50 sessions afforded the opportunity to interact with renowned higher education leaders, historians, authors and foundation representatives.  At the top end of the educational hierarchy were university presidents, vice presidents, rectors, and directors, as well as education ministry officials and even embassy staff.  On their minds were such topics as outreach, engagement, and developing successful leaders in the Academy …particularly, it seems, among women.  The whole program was, in fact, quite an education….

Mar. 04-07, 2012. Innovations 2012 is the premier event for professionals dedicated to improving organizational teaching and learning, and discovering new approaches for enhancing the community college experience. The conference provides a forum for collaboration among academic experts and leading community college professionals, while granting participants exclusive access to inventive and thought-provoking programs from around the world. Topics included Learning and Teaching, Leadership and Organization, Workforce Preparation and Development, Student Services and Activities, Resource Development and Foundation Management, Research, Assessment, and Accountability, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  So get organized…!

Mar. 03-06, 2012. CAMEX is the Campus Market Expo 2012, and this educational conference was designed to offer education solutions to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.  Over 700 exhibitor companies came to show their educational wares, striking a balance between higher-level, strategic and solutions-oriented “core content” learning experiences. Learning Lab sessions reflected a commitment to immersion in meaningful programs that provided fresh content, new ideas, and engaging learning activities.  Programs included categories from the “College Store of 2015” research study findings (Customers, Capabilities, Communications, Curriculum, Connections, and Frequency).  Wait: how did an “F-word” get in among all those “C-words”?

Mar. 01-03, 2012. The annual NAEA TASK Day was the most anticipated event at the show. Individuals and Teams registered at the desk and pulled out a random theme from the box. Pallet loads of materials donated from show vendors & scavenged by the teams were available for each to make their art project. TASK is an improvisational, open-ended, participatory event with a simple structure and very few rules.
It was great fun and very inventive. More trade shows need to jump on the interactive band wagon.