Top 10 Things We Learned at SXSW Edu

SXSW 2014, you’ve been amazing! We’ve met so many great people, seen some incredible things and have come away more positive than ever about the future of education. The festival was too big to cover everything in a single post, but as a starting point, here’s 10 of the things we’ve learnt this week.

1. Edtech is here to stay

The Obama administration has proposed $200M in support for it as part of the 2015 budget and we can only see this increasing over the next 5 years. Although many asked when will edtech just become education…

2. Makers could well rule the world

eCampusNews reckon there was no less than 16 different presentations at SXSW Edu about getting students to learn through practical projects. You just can't beat getting your hands dirty.

3. We don’t need to become digital zombies

There's no harm in telling students to turn off the tech for an hour or two.

4. Use data for good, not evil

Data is already shaping the way we think about education, but to make use of it, it needs to be analysed by the right people and used responsibly.

5.

BUT, we need to figure out how best to communicate with parents to alleviate any concerns about privacy and security. This post from Evan Omerso summarises the debate brilliantly.

6. Games, far from being a distraction are a great way to help students learn

57% of middle school students say they're valuable for helping them to understand difficult concepts. We saw a number of great edu games this week.

7. Robots are the answer

There's lots of great ways to teach kids math and science, but if you're looking for a fun way to engage students Robots are almost certainly the answer.

8. We’re getting closer to agreed definitions of a range of terms in education

We particularly like the way blended learning is described here.

9. A stronger connection between parents and teachers

As the education system evolves, parents will have an ever stronger connection with their childrens' teachers and that's no bad thing.

10. Technology is nothing without the right teaching and learning environment

As Norma and Vivienne Ming told us, we should always remember it's about making people, not technology, more powerful.

11.

And a bonus 11th – people really love gif booths, check out our collage above for just a fraction of the fun people had at the festival party. You can also view all the photos here.