SXSW EDU 2026: It’s Panel Picker Time!

Each March, the brightest minds in education, technology, and media gather in Austin, TX for SXSW EDU to explore what’s next in learning. Here at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, we love everything about it – we learn so much from all of the incredible leaders who take the stage and share their experience and wisdom, we love sharing our own work, and meeting up with friends old and new.

This year, the Cooney Center is proud to share two proposals that spotlight the future of learning and edtech. We’re diving into some of the really big questions around AI and literacy: how can we harness the potential of this incredible technology to support children’s writing and learning— across subject areas? And we are proposing a hands-on workshop about co-designing edtech with kids in order to create learning experiences that truly empower them AND improve the products. 

But in order for these conversations to take the stage, we need your help! Please take a minute to vote for our sessions below – it’s free and easy to create an account in the SXSW EDU Panel Picker platform, and each vote makes a difference. Community voting is open now through August 24, 2025.

We hope to see you in Austin!

Panel: Beyond Basics: AI, Writing & Literacy Across the Curriculum

Writing is often overlooked in literacy instruction — yet, it’s critical for learning across disciplines. In this session, we’ll explore how AI can support writing instruction without sacrificing student voice, creativity, or critical thinking. We’ll explore if and how AI tools can scaffold writing, enrich vocabulary and syntax, and support disciplinary literacy in subjects like history, science, and math. Join us for a practical conversation about human-centered AI that amplifies, not replaces, teaching and learning. Moderated by Medha Tare (Joan Ganz Cooney Center), with Jahira Alonso (New York City Department of Education), Angelica DaSilva (Joan Ganz Cooney Center),  and Julia Wilkowski (Google).
VOTE HERE

 

Workshop: Co-Designing Edtech with Kids

This interactive workshop introduces the Co-Design with Kids Toolkit—a research-informed resource that empowers edtech developers and educators to involve children and families in the design process. Learn about practical tools and methods to move beyond user testing into real co-creation with your target audience. Whether you’re building the next big learning app or innovating in the classroom or in afterschool settings, you’ll gain actionable strategies and hands-on experience to create more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning technologies – with kids, not just for them. With Mona Leigh Guha (Joan Ganz Cooney Center), Azi Jamalian (The GIANT Room), and Allisyn Levy (Joan Ganz Cooney Center).
VOTE HERE

 

And we are also delighted to be part of several other proposals!

Please cast a vote for the following sessions as well. 

 

Play-Based Literacy in a Screen-Heavy World

With students immersed in digital environments, early reading tools must evolve. This panel highlights how animation, play, and story can make foundational reading more accessible and joyful, with insights from design, education, and developmental psychology. Panelists will explore what it takes to design digital learning tools that compete with entertainment apps while remaining grounded in cognitive science and literacy research.
VOTE HERE

 

XR in Education: What Students Want, What Schools Need 

New research from the XR Association shows over half of teens are using XR in the classroom. But what do they think about it? As AR, VR and AI converge to reshape how students learn, young people will be key to how these tools are designed, adopted and integrated. XRA’s survey reveals teens are excited about immersive learning, yet knowledge gaps in access, transparency, privacy and agency remain. This panel, brought to you by the letters X and R, will explore what youth-centered, equitable immersive learning can look like — and how to build tech that reflects the next generation’s needs.
VOTE HERE

 

Level Up! Role-Playing Games for Well-Being in the Classroom

Discover how tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) can support social-emotional learning and mental health through an interactive, hands-on workshop. Grounded in the Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) well-being framework, participants will explore case studies, play through a TTRPG scenario, and leave with free, classroom-ready resources to bring the power of play into their schools.
VOTE HERE

 

AI Tools to Advance Literacy and Student Agency

What happens when AI tools are designed by teachers and students? In this session, we’ll explore how two public school districts, one in NYC and one in rural Kentucky, used an AI storytelling platform co-designed with students and educators to build literacy, creativity, and agency. Students made gains in writing, critical thinking, and reading, becoming published authors through scaffolded, identity-affirming programs. Panelists will share lessons from responsibly integratingAI in elementary classrooms, offering equity-focused strategies and models that lead to positive student outcomes.
VOTE HERE

 

From Advisory to Agency: Youth Insights Into Decisions

Youth advisory boards are a meaningful first step but real impact comes when youth move from advisors to decision-makers. In this session, we’ll unpack how In Tandem and partners like the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, Owl Ventures, and Young Futures made youth co-design a strategic advantage. Hear how youth insights led to scrapped features, new program criteria, and funding pivots. We’ll share hard-won lessons, privacy and consent protocols, and tools to turn youth insight into action. Walk away with case studies to turn youth insight into action.
VOTE HERE