MCCC to host free 30th annual Technology and Learning Conference Oct. 11 | Intelligence

With 60 years of teaching, Montco is ready for its 30th season of technology

In conjunction with its 60th anniversary, Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) is proud to announce the 2024 Conference on Technology and Learning returns Oct. 11- now celebrating 30 years.

Likewise, for the fifth year in a row, the annual conference will be held in its entirety, with participants coming from all over the world. It will focus on three major themes including improving the learning experience, technology beyond the classroom and the classroom of today and tomorrow, said Mary-Kate Najarian, Ed.D., MCCC Director. of User Success and Learning Technologies, who chairs the Technology and Learning Conference.

“We are excited about the 30th anniversary of our Technology and Learning Conference,” he said. “We welcome people from all over the world and we have over 500 people every year. We have presenters from all over the United States, speaking on a variety of topics. This year, we have a large presence with in the classroom of today and tomorrow, especially in artificial intelligence, access, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

The free, virtual conference, sponsored by Elements 451, the next-generation AI student engagement platform, is open to the public and runs from 8 am-3 pm EDT. Participants can register for the event through the landing page at mc3.edu/techday.

Attendees will have access to more than 25 sessions including “We Tried to Build Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) Jeopardy and Failed, Here’s Why”; “‘Good at Math’: New Tools and Taxes for Aftermath Education”; “New Youth Impact at Montco: Next-Gen Learning with VR and AI”; “Implementing a Digital Access Project at Scale”; “Future Empowerment: Preparing to Educate Students for Multiple Futures”; “Enriching Experiences for Online Students: A Case Study of Cross-Campus Collaboration”; “Overcoming Barriers: How Assistive Technology Empowers Equity, Diversity and Inclusion”; “If We Build Synchronous Variables into Asynchronous Online Courses, Will Students Use Them?” and “Embracing Change: The Integration of Technology in Community College Mathematics.”

This year’s keynote speaker will be Dustin York, Ed.D., Assistant Professor at Maryville University in St. Louis. Louis, and visiting lecturer at the University of Florida and Stanford University.

According to his biography, York worked on the 2008 President Obama logo with corporate clients such as Pepsi Co and Nike before attending school. His special skills include digital branding and leadership. Outside of his primary passion for teaching, York is a columnist for CNN, Entrepreneur.com, and Forbes, a contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and serves as a national keynote speaker. He was awarded the American Marketing Association 40 Under 40, the President’s Award for Strategic Leadership and Transformational Leadership, and an Apple Distinguished Lecturer.

York’s presentation is titled “How Curiosity Can Map Educational Change.” The address will focus on the possibilities that curiosity can bring to education and the environment. Topics will include augmented reality, AI and the Metaverse, to physical spaces and changing student populations. York will demonstrate how a curiosity-driven approach can help change educational practices, increase student engagement and “prepare for the changing future of education,” according to the summary.

For more information about the 30th annual Technology and Education Conference, including a schedule of events, vendor and advertiser information, or to submit a proposal, visit mc3.edu/techday.