Joan Ganz Cooney Center

E3 Expo
2015-06-16 - 2015-06-18 | Venue Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles Convention Center
E3 is the world’s premier trade show for computer, video and mobile games and related products. At E3, the video game industry’s top talent pack the Los Angeles Convention Center, connecting tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative professionals in the interactive entertainment industry. For three exciting days, leading-edge companies, groundbreaking new technologies and never-before-seen products will be showcased. E3 connects you with both new and existing partners and provides unprecedented exposure to emerging markets.

– See more at: https://www.e3expo.com

Interaction Design and Children
2015-06-21 - 2015-06-24 | Venue Boston, MA, Boston, MA
The 14th international conference on Interaction Design & Children will be held on June 21-24, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. The IDC conference’s mission is to bring together researchers, designers and educators to explore new forms of technology, design and engaged learning among children. The conference incorporates papers, presentations, speakers, workshops, participatory design experiences and discussions on how to create better interactive experiences for children.

IDC 2015 will offer a wide-ranging program, supporting and facilitating the exchange of ideas within and between all of these communities. The theme for this year is Empowering Children to Create. The focus will be on technology support for creativity, coding, and maker types of endeavors, with two related themes: Developmentally Appropriate Design and Innovative Interfaces.

National Association for Media Literacy Education
2015-06-26 - 2015-06-27 | Venue Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, is ready to welcome the 2015 NAMLE conference. The dates are Thursday, June 25 for pre-conference sessions and an evening kick-off, and Friday and Saturday, June 26-27 for the full conference.

Plans are growing to make this the best NAMLE conference yet, with inspiring keynotes, interactive sessions, new research, innovative exhibitors and a great time for all.

The conference will be held at the beautiful Philadelphia Westin hotel, right in the heart of the city.

A conference planning committee is currently working on the details.

International Society for Technology in Education Conference
2015-06-28 - 2015-07-01 | Venue Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA
Big things happen at the ISTE Conference & Expo. Groundbreaking ideas are shared, new learning technologies are unveiled and seeds are planted that will impact education for years to come. Take your place among the trailblazers who are revolutionizing learning at ISTE 2015.

ISTE 2015 will feature an amazing array of professional learning and collaborative networking opportunities. Attendees can choose from more than 1,000 sessions in a variety of formats.

See the program guide for tips on how to navigate the program and session formats. Use the program search to find sessions that interest you and add them to your Favorites.

The Children's Media Conference
2015-07-01 - 2015-07-03
The Children’s Media Conference is the only gathering in the UK for everyone involved in developing, producing and distributing content to kids – on all platforms.

We welcome delegates from TV, interactive media, games, licensing, toys, radio, book and magazine publishing and the arts and culture sector – with speakers from all those areas and beyond.

It’s the only time when delegates from across our whole industry get together and, in the UK, it’s the best and most cost-effective way of meeting people relevant to your business.

Register here for CMC 2015 which runs from Wed 1 – Fri 3 July.

Serious Play Conference
2015-07-21 - 2015-07-23 | Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
The Serious Play Conference, now in our 5th year, is a leadership conference for professionals who embrace the idea that games can revolutionize learning. Speakers, who come from all parts of the globe, share their experience creating or using games in the corporation, classroom, healthcare institution, government and military and offer tips on how to move game-based education programs ahead.

At Serious Play, attendees listen, share and participate actively in informal sessions dedicated to the discussion of the future of serious games.

EdmodoCon
2015-08-04 | Online
EdmodoCon helps teachers navigate the digital learning environment, and introduces them to new ideas and tools to improve student learning. Last year, more than 44,000 educators from 172 countries registered to virtually attend. This year, Edmodo welcomes Michael Horn, co-founder and executive director of education at the Clayton Christensen Institute, as the closing keynote, during which he’ll discuss how educators can design blended learning environments and harness its benefits—personalization, access, and equity at scale—to unleash student achievement. In addition, the event will feature a keynote address from Edmodo CEO Vibhu Mittal, eight teacher-led sessions on innovative ways to integrate technology in the classroom, and the unveiling of this year’s Edmodie Award winners.

Reserve your spot. EdmodoCon is Tuesday, August 4th.

Games in Education Symposium
2015-08-06 - 2015-08-07
Games in Education started as a multi-day symposium which focuses on the topic of using video games to supplement and inspire in-classroom education. Participants span early childhood through post secondary educators in New York’s Capital District and surrounding regions who are interested in finding ways to use video games and related technology to enrich and inspire interest by students in core curriculum topics. The symposium has run annually since 2007 and is free for educators to attend. In 2014, Games in Education added a free Teen Game Workshop to provide an opportunity for high school students to engage in game development. In 2015, Games in Education officially incorporated as a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization.

Click for more details.

Digital Kids Summit
2015-09-09 - 2015-09-10 | Children’s Creativity Museum, San Francisco, CA, United States
The Digital Kids Summit, will be taking place September 9-10, 2015 in San Francisco at the Children’s Creativity Museum.

DKS is the only event on the west coast focused on children’s digital media – covering both the entertainment and learning markets. DKS is a single-track, 2-day event limited to 220 guests, that guarantees great networking. Don’t forget, Earlybird Registration is now open.

2015 ALAS Summit
2015-10-14 - 2015-10-17 | Albuquerque, NM
This conference is a collaborative, inclusive, nationwide community initiative involving educators and organizations at all levels. It is designed to significantly increase opportunities for building education-related connections around the country. Additionally, this conference allows for a platform to present ideas, examples and projects related to connecting educational leaders with a strong emphasis on inspiring action towards solving real-world problems involving Latino students.

Click to learn more about the 2015 ALAS Summit.

Diverse Families and Media: Using Research to Inspire Design
2015-10-30
On Friday, October 30, the Families and Media Project is hosting a morning of discussions about the need to create diverse media for children and families and to launch our newest publication, Diverse Families and Media: Using Research to Inspire Design.
The panels are: Designing for Diverse Families
Kevin Clark George Mason University
Claudia Haines Association for Library Service to Children
Aaron Morris PBSKids Michael Levine Joan Ganz Cooney Center (moderator) Opportunities to Support Home-School Connections Using Technology
Brigid Barron Stanford University
Carmen Gonzalez University of Washington
Eric Cuentos Mission Graduates
Margaret Caspe Klein Harvard Famiy Research Project
Karen Cator Digital Promise (moderator) If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP to lili.toutounas [at] sesame.org The event is co-sponsored by the Stanford Graduate School of Education, Digital Promise, LIFE Center, and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.

Teaching & Learning with the iPad 2015
2015-11-12 - 2015-11-14 | Raleigh, NC
Teaching & Learning with the iPad began four years ago to provide teachers, administrators, schools and school districts guidance as they implemented the use of iPads in the classroom. The conference has grown in attendance and breadth of content covered including keynotes, concurrent sessions and, new this year, extended workshop options. Attendees will come away with valuable information to enhance their own skills with the iPad as well as new resources to facilitate use of the device in the learning environment.Many of the topics, tips, and techniques covered at the conference can be leveraged by educators at any grade level, from K through 16+
Register here for the Teaching & Learning with the iPad 2015 Conference.

Kids At Play Interactive Awards (at CES)
2016-01-07 | Venetian, Level 4, Lando 4301, Las Vegas, NV, 89109, United States
The 6th Annual KAPi (Kids at Play Interactive) Awards celebrate excellence in children’s media. Emcees Warren Buckleitner of Children’s Technology Review, Robin Raskin of Living in Digital Times, the KAPi jurors and some special guests will be presenting awards to some of the most deserving people and products in the kids’ tech industry.

Meet, greet, and mingle with the toys, the tech and the people as we kick off 2016 the Year of the Digital Kids.

FETC 2016
2016-01-12 - 2016-01-15 | Venue Orlando, FL, Orlando, FL
The Future of Education Technology Conference brings together education leaders and technology experts to exchange techniques and strategies for teaching and learning success. Known worldwide for its outstanding program, FETC provides educators and administrators the opportunity to explore the integration of technology across the curriculum — from kindergarten to college — through hands-on exposure to the latest hardware, software and successful strategies.

Lisa Guernsey will share insights from Tap, Click, Read as the keynote speaker for the Early Learning Summit on January 12. Guernsey will be addressing the quiet crisis of literacy in America and specific ways that parents,teachers and policymakers can improve it.

See more at: http://fetc.org/

LearnLaunch 2016
2016-01-21 - 2016-01-22 | Cambridge, MA
The LearnLaunch Across Boundaries conference, co-hosted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Business School, aims to promote dialogue about digital learning. The fourth annual conference will examine the following question: “Are we digitizing past practice or moving toward personalized learning?” The conference brings together a diverse set of voices to discuss the most challenging questions facing teachers and the edtech industry today, including entrepreneurs, educators, education administrators, investors, developers, students, and industry experts who are interested in the future and current state of educational technology in early education, K-12 education, higher education or continuing education.

Lisa Guernsey and Michael Levine will speak about Tap, Click, Read at 10:30 am on Friday, January 22.

See the website for more information about registration and a full agenda.

Digital Equity: Technology & Learning in the Lives of Lower Income Families
2016-02-03 08:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Washington, DC, Washington, DC, Select a Country:
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center, Rutgers University, and New America are hosting Digital Equity: Technology & Learning in the Lives of Lower Income Families on February 3, 2016.

The forum will highlight the results of a nationwide survey of lower-income families, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will deliver opening remarks.

Key topics include:
Demographic differences in families’ online connectivity
Presence of digital devices and Internet connections in the home
Use of libraries and other community access points
Barriers to consistent access and implications of mobile-only connectivity
Experiences with subsidized Internet access
How families use digital technology for home-school connections and for informal learning
Untapped family and community assets that can be leveraged in digital equity programs.
Featured Speakers: Pat Esser
President of Cox Communications

Zach Leverenz
EveryoneOn

Sarah Morris
Policy Director, Open Technology Institute at New America

Jeff Chester
Center for Digital Democracy

Deb Socia
Next Century Cities

Craig Watkins
Professor, University of Texas, Austin
Author, The Young and the DigitalSusan Neuman
Professor, New York University
Author, Giving our Children a Fighting Chance: Poverty, Literacy, and the Development of Information CapitalVicky Rideout
Principal, VJR Consulting
Co-Director of the Digital Equity Study

Michael Levine
Executive Director, Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
Co-Author, Tap, Click Read: Growing Readers in a World of ScreensVikki Katz
Associate Professor, School of Communication and Information, Rutgers University
Author, Kids in the Middle: How Children of Immigrants Negotiate Community Interactions for their FamiliesThe event will be livestreamed: https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/digital-equity/Follow the discussion online by using #DigitalEquity and following @NewAmericaEd and @CooneyCenter

Kidscreen Summit 2016
2016-02-08 - 2016-02-11 | InterContinental Miami, 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL, 33131, United States
Kidscreen’s premier annual event, which has quickly grown into the world’s leading conference on the business of kids entertainment, hosting more than 1,600 attendees from around the world. Top decision- and deal-makers attend to engage in critical dialogue, network and find new ideas that will drive their businesses forward.

Toy Fair NY 2016
2016-02-13 - 2016-02-16 | Venue Jacob Javitz Center, New York, NY, Jacob Javitz Center, New York, NY
Toy Fair 2015 opened its doors to thousands of registered global play professionals to explore a record-breaking 422,000+ net square feet of exhibit space filled with hundreds of thousands of toys, games and youth entertainment products.

Toy Fair registration is open to the trade only; Toy Fair is not open to the public.
NO ONE under the age of 18, including infants, will be admitted.

Toy Fair is produced by the Toy Industry Associate, Inc. (TIA), the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and bringing toys and youth entertainment products to kids of all ages. TIA’s more than 800 members account for approximately 90% of the annual U.S. domestic toy market of $22B.

Digital Kids Conference NYC 2016
2016-02-15 - 2016-02-16 | New York, NY, New York, NY, United States
Digital Kids™ Conference returns to New York on February 15-16, 2016. The conference is geared toward brand owners, game developers, entertainment and media executives, marketers, producers, digital media directors and licensing professionals seeking to engage children online and on digital devices.

Sesame Workshop’s Vice President of Research & Evaluation, Jennifer Kotler, PhD, is an advisor for Digital Kids.

Learn more about the event here, and register online.

SXSW Early Learning Summit
2016-03-08 | Venue Austin, TX, Austin, TX, United States
While meeting the needs of our youngest children is proven to open endless opportunities to realize human potential for health, happiness, and a lifetime of making meaningful contributions, the early childhood system is too fragmented and under resourced to deliver innovation at scale. We have the science that shows the potential for building and improving kids’ lives, and we have learning methods and community-based health models that are proving successful, for a few, but we struggle to imagine how things could be different, very different for many.

In the past, siloed approaches, cultural barriers, and generational blind spots have limited progress. Deeper understanding, fresh voices, new relationships, and entrepreneurial energy is needed to cast a vision for the 30-year future for young children in America. A committed group of creative leaders is needed to bring the vision to life and to sustain it.

Don’t miss the Play, Technology and the Young Child panel featuring Michael Levine, which will explore how innovations in technology are changing the way children learn and play.

http://www.earlylearningsummit.com

Tap, Click, Read: EdWeb Webinar
2016-03-29 | Webinar, Select a Country:
With young children gaining access to a dizzying array of games, videos, and other digital media, will they ever learn to read? The answer is yes—if they are surrounded by adults who know how to help and if they are introduced to media designed to promote literacy, instead of undermining it. In this webinar, Michael Levine and Lisa Guernsey, authors of Tap, Click, Read: Growing Readers in a World of Screens, will show how educators and parents can help children grow into strong, passionate readers who are skilled at using media and technology of all kinds—print, digital, and everything in between.

On Tuesday, March 29 from 4-5pm ET, join Michael Levine and Lisa Guernsey for a free webinar presented by EdWeb and Common Sense Education to learn about tools and strategies for supporting literacy for all. Early childhood educators including teachers, librarian/media specialists, technology specialists, literacy coaches, curriculum specialists, and parents all will benefit from this live, interactive session. Michael and Lisa will field questions from attendees after their presentation.

Join the Digital Classroom community to participate in online discussions with peers, for invitations to upcoming webinars, to view past webinar recordings, to take a quiz and receive a CE certificate for a past webinar, and for access to more resources.http://home.edweb.net/webinar/tap-click-read-growing-readers-in-a-world-of-screens/

CoSN 2016 Annual Conference
2016-04-04 - 2016-04-07 | Washington Hilton Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
Technology is constantly changing the way students learn and how teachers teach. School systems are in the midst of a digital leap, moving away from the traditional into the world of e-learning. The success of this shift depends as much on the people and culture of the system as it does on the technology used. The CoSN 2016 Annual Conference will focus on the ways that school systems can change their organizational cultures, embrace a culture of digital options, and accelerate success.

Michael Levine and Lisa Guernsey will discuss Tap, Click, Read at 9:15 am on April 5.

http://cosnconference.org/

LEGO Idea Conference
2016-04-11 - 2016-04-13
The three-day conference offers a vibrant, playful and thought-provoking environment for group dialogues and impactful workshops. Our conference design asks for active involvement, as well as a willingness to dare to tinker with ideas and come up with new solutions – together – in a playful and yet serious atmosphere. A full programme will be available soon, in the meantime we welcome you to download a high-level overview of the conference days.

https://legoideaconference.com

Games and Media Summit
2016-04-18 | New York, NY, New York, NY, United States
At the 2016 Games and Media Summit you’ll meet innovative speakers and creators who are leading the charge in shaping the way we feel, play, work and interact with games, technology, and media.

With an interactive arcade, this day-long event will spotlight the newest possibilities for game technology and narratives that amplify empathy, expand attitudes, inspire action, and cultivate communities.

Plus, meet your favorite YouTube gaming celebrities at the first-ever Games for Change Charity Game-a-thon!

http://www.gamesforchange.org/games-and-media-summit

Sandbox Summit 2016
2016-04-18 - 2016-04-19 | Cambridge, MA
The benefits of play are well known: it’s how kids learn; it encourages creativity; it relieves stress; and more than ever, it’s a way we interact with others. Incorporating play into all we do has the potential to enhance workplaces and family time; curricula and innovation. In a world that too often relies on auto-pilot, the humanity of a laugh, an aha!, or connecting with a trusted friend is the secret sauce of success.

Sandbox Summit@MIT will explore the ROI of Play from multiple angles and diverse disciplines, aligning with research trends, industry developments and breakthrough strategies across a range of platforms. In true Sandbox style, it promises to be as playful as it is enlightening, piquing curiosity and creativity, and fostering new connections and collaborations in unexpected ways.

http://sandboxsummit.org/

Dust or Magic Highlights Retreat
2016-04-24 - 2016-04-26
The fourth Dust or Magic Highlights retreat will take place at the beautiful Highlights Foundation in Boyds Mills, PA.

We’ll expand on the agenda of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Masterclass, taking a closer look at the latest digital materials related to language development for preschool and elementary age children (aged 2-to 12-years). Together we’ll dissect the latest apps, and together talk about what you need to know to “find the magic” in 2016.

As with other Dust or Magic events, we’ll use our lasers to critique each example to better refine our own definition of what works (the magic), and what doesn’t (the dust).

Michael Levine and Lisa Guernsey will discuss Tap, Click, Read at 3:00 pm on Monday, April 25.

http://dustormagic.com/language-and-literacy-retreat-2016

Scratch Day
2016-05-14
Scratch Day is a global network of events that celebrates Scratch—and the young people who code and create with it. With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations, plus share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively, all essential skills for life in the 21st century.

During Scratch Day, kids and adults gather to share projects and learn from one another. Find a free event near you here.

http://day.scratch.mit.edu/

National Geographic BioBlitz 2016
2016-05-20 - 2016-05-21
What is a BioBlitz? A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place. Parks Centennial

In the decade leading up to the National Park Service centennial, National Geographic and the National Park Service have collaborated on a BioBlitz in a different national park each year. In 2016, to celebrate the centennial, the BioBlitz initiative goes national! The cornerstone BioBlitz in the Washington, D.C. region will take place May 20-21, with over 200 BioBlitzes happening across the country and throughout the year. Find the BioBlitz closest to you by using the map!

http://education.nationalgeographic.org/projects/bioblitz

Developing Apps for Kids Conference 2016
2016-06-15 | San Francisco, CA
The Developing Apps for Kids Conference is for anyone working in the children’s app space. It is the go-to event for app developers, designers, illustrators, marketers, toy companies, funders, and other professionals who are working in kid tech media. The conference brings together industry leaders, top reviewers, and visionaries to offer advice on the business of kids’ apps.

Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/developing-apps-for-kids-conference-2016-tickets-24939812651

Media Mentors: Helping Children Build Literacy Skills for the Digital Age Webinar
2016-06-16 | Webinar, Select a Country:
With young children gaining access to a dizzying array of games, videos, and other digital media, will they ever learn to read? The answer is yes—if they are surrounded by adults who know how to help and if they are introduced to media designed to promote literacy, instead of undermining it. In short, these children and their families could greatly benefit from a media mentor.

What exactly is a media mentor? Join Michael Levine and Lisa Guernsey, authors of Tap, Click, Read: Growing Readers in a World of Screens, and Chip Donohue, editor of Family Engagement in the Digital Age: Early Childhood Educators as Media Mentors, to discuss this new term in the lexicon of 21st-century early childhood education. Media mentors can help children grow into strong, passionate readers who are skilled at using media and technology of all kinds—print, digital, and everything in between. Many libraries, for example, are already starting to support families in making smart media choices and instilling smart media practices with kids. What skills do media mentors need? How can they be supported? And how can more children gain access to them? Michael, Lisa, and Chip will kick off a discussion that explores the importance of these new roles.

Join us for this free webinar on Thursday, June 16 from 1:30-3pm ET.
Register: bit.ly/25lK7YT
