I’m headed out to Austin, Texas for South By Southwest Edu 2015. Lanette Walters, our digital curriculum editor (all things KinderTown) will also be attending. Here are some the talks that I am looking forward to attending.

21st Century Manipulatives: Increasing Engagement: Ki Karou

http://schedule.sxswedu.com/events/event_EDUP36526

Advancements in 3D printing allow schools and districts to build personalized, hands-on materials that provide kids with the exact tools they need, without requiring mass produced, full class sets. Through this dynamic presentation, the audience members will see practical examples and learn how new technologies have changed the world of math manipulatives by engaging students, supporting them in building connections and increasing understanding of difficult math concepts.

Home and School 2.0 Strategies Grounded in Research: Joe Mazza

http://schedule.sxswedu.com/events/event_EDUP35338

PennGSE Leadership Innovation Manager Dr. Joe Mazza teaches in the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Ed Leadership. His role is to develop digital leadership strategies while exposing school principals and superintendents to a “Leadership Makerspace” designed to meet the evolving stakeholder needs of today’s schools. This session will focus on family-school partnerships, and how school leaders can leverage a wide range of research based strategies to meet families and community “where they are.”

Forget Leaning in, We Need to Dadprove: Patrick Riccards

http://schedule.sxswedu.com/events/event_EDUP33841

Yahoo’s Sheryl Sandberg and Pepsi’s Indra Nooyi have preached the merits of “leaning in.” But, if we are serious about boosting student achievement and inspiring successful children, we need less leaning in and more fathers who are “diving in” to their families. Instead of encouraging more to prioritize work over family, we need to inspire a generation of men to realize what they can and should do as dads, being active in their children’s lives and involved in their learning process.