Attendance rates at public schools are higher than they were at the height of the pandemic, but they have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. This is troubling for educators, who want students safe and learning in school. It’s also of material interest to administrators, since state and federal funds are often tied to attendance rates.

Here’s how esports help improve attendance, how you can maximize their appeal, and how to keep your upfront costs low so you can maximize the return on your investment.

Esports as an attendance booster

Putting esports in school is like putting chocolate on broccoli to get students to eat it. Just like traditional sports, esports can act as the chocolate that brings kids who aren’t excited about school into class.

In a recent survey that my esports league conducted, we found that participants came to school an average of one to two more days during a two-week period than they did before they joined the team. As many as 80% said they were more likely to come to school because of esports, and many reported that esports also motivates their academic performance and encourages them to behave better while they’re there.

Esports programs and curricula are a great draw, but there are steps school and district leaders can take to be sure they are appealing to as many students as possible.

Maximizing the draw of esports

If you’re trying to appeal to a certain demographic, paying attention to what games students already like to play is a good start. If you really want to know what they’re playing, just have your coaches survey them. Ask all the students who qualify for your league what games they play and what devices they use, and then tailor your program choices accordingly.

DA’s “Talking Out of School” Podcast is now live! Join the District Administration editorial team and special guests every Wednesday as they discuss their experiences, strategies and forecasts for K12 education.

It’s also a great idea to tap into the tradition of your school when it comes to the requirements and responsibilities of athletes. On my team, athletes sign the same substance abuse policy any other athlete signs in order to earn their varsity letter. We have the same attendance requirements as other teams as well, barring students from participation if they don’t arrive at school by 11 o’clock, for example.

Finally, to make sure your esports program is a strong draw, be sure your coaches are providing meaningful local competition. Encourage them to find a local or state-wide league, preferably one of the many teach-run non-profit leagues like Texas Scholastic Esports Federation (TEXSEF) or Pennsylvania Scholastic Esports League (PSEL) organizes competitions between local schools, or partner with others in your community to launch your own organization. Students on a team want to compete against their school rivals, just like the football team does every fall.

Launching esports on a budget

One of the biggest misconceptions is that starting a program has to cost a lot of money. I’ve started close to 1,000 programs and, though some have cost quite a bit, many were free or very low cost to launch.

The funding possibilities for are surprising. Title funds at every tier are available to help create esports programs, for example. You can also tap into funding to support social-emotional learning, career and technical education, and students with disabilities.

There are also some fun nontraditional ways of getting money for esports programs. Some schools I’ve worked with ask students’ families and other members of the community to use the free Twitch subscription that comes with their Amazon Prime accounts to subscribe to their school’s esports streaming channel. Each subscription earns $5 for the team, and it doesn’t cost the family members anything.

You see it less often now, but not too long ago a popular way to bring technology into schools was through a bring-your-own-device policy that encouraged teachers and students to bring in their own computers or smartphones. Many students who want to join an esports team—and the teachers eager to coach them—already have their own consoles or handheld gaming systems at home. When we started esports at my school nearly six years ago, our program ran entirely on devices teachers brought from home.

It’s also nice that many of the games, including those played by scholarship teams, are free. If the team can use someone’s personal device and play something like Rocket League or League of Legends, you have a free program.

Even if you decide that you want to buy devices for your program, they don’t have to break the bank. Most of the school districts in my league started with Nintendo Switches. For less than $500 they got a Switch and a Super Smash Bros. game, and students were able to participate in all three seasons our league offers by sharing the device among competitors.

Depending on your district, you might already have game-ready PCs in your buildings. Schools around the country have heavily invested in Chromebooks for 1:1 computing initiatives, but they lack the graphics card, storage, and features necessary for a lot of computing tasks, including playing many games.

But educators know the world doesn’t run on Chromebooks, and there has been a move back to computer labs to provide some of those more powerful and expensive machines for programs like computer-aided design (CAD), graphic design, video editing, video game design, and gaming. There’s no reason a computer lab can’t be the CAD room during the day and the esports team room after school.

When considering your budget, bear in mind that participating students are going to show up more, on average, than they would without the program—and that is going to recapture funding tied to attendance. An as-yet unpublished study done in Moreno Valley with 600 esports players found that participants had a 19.3% lower absence rate than non-participants, leading to the district recapturing nearly $300,000, which probably paid for most or all of their program

Like any other after-school activity, esports engages students with their peers, teachers, and other members of the school community. Teams don’t have to be expensive to start, and when students begin flowing back through the doors to play, they’ll bring funding with them.

The post How to use esports to increase attendance, and funding appeared first on District Administration.

“I’m excited about the future for kids,” says Galván, who was recently named Superintendent of the Year on by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. “The students, our board of trustees, the teachers—everyone is so invested in Greenfield.”

Proof of that investment lies in the opportunities for post-secondary success created by the partnerships Galván has formed with organizations such as Digital Promise’s League of Innovative Schools and companies such as Apple and Lego.

Partnership No. 1 focuses on virtual reality

The League of Innovative Schools is a national coalition of about 150 districts that collaborate to identify instructional practices that will have big impacts on student achievement.

It has allowed Galván to travel to different districts to examine cutting-edge instruction and Greenfield’s work with the organization has paved the way for widespread use of virtual reality in the district, which has allowed students to tour the world and has further led to the launch of esports labs. Virtual reality and esports have also become key vehicles for project-based learning and problem-solving skills, Galván notes.

Partnership No. 2 revs up robotics

The Apple and Lego partnerships enable Greenfield to offer robotics in all five of its schools and to send students to the toy company’s national FIRST competitions. Galván and her team have plotted how robotics will take students from the early grades all the way to graduation and beyond. “We backward map the skills from preschool all the way through to the secondary setting,” she points out.

Because Greenfield is just over an hour’s drive from Silicon Valley, students take regular field trips to get exposure to various careers in the tech industry. Students who recently got a behind-the-scenes look at the Apple campus also got a chance to chat with CEO Steve Cook about computer science, robots and careers. Galván also got to address Apple leaders and investors.

“That was a game-changer for the children of Greenfield, who got out of our small farm-working community to meet with a billionaire,” she says. “My message to everyone there was, that everybody has a story, when you discover your story then you discover your purpose in life. I asked everyone to ask my kids about their story and to tell them your story.”

Partnership No. 3 focuses on virtual reality

The district has a new partnership with AASA, the School Superintendents Association, which has selected Greenfield as a model for K12 innovation. The organization is sending a group of superintendents and other leaders to tour the district in the spring.

Dwindling districts? There’s more than one reason that leaders are now closing dozens of schools

And what does Galván intend to show off when the leaders visit? “We’re going to share culture—how leadership impacts culture,” she says. “When the superintendent sets the tone, the directors, the C-suite, the board, the principals, the teachers, our classified labor partners all share that. We have really great culture here in Greenfield that we’ve cultivated over the last seven years.”

Some of the hallmarks of that culture include not having had a single grievance about a contract violation in six years—since her first year leading the district. “I’m going to have the (ASAA) team interview teachers, like any teacher, grab any teacher and just talk to them about our culture here,” she exclaims. “I am unafraid for them to talk to anyone because they’ve been the work we’ve done together.”

Galván and her team also work closely with local government, including the fire and police departments, as well as neighboring school districts and a range of nonprofit organizations, colleges and social service providers. “When you watch me or the district on social media, you’ll see the bright faces of students and team members,” she concludes.

“That is something we cultivate—it’s the day-to-day interactions … that really make a district what it is. When you invest in people, then people are more willing to go the extra mile and do the work for kids.”

The post The 3 important partnerships that help this superintendent make a difference appeared first on District Administration.

It’s all a matter of context. Gaming under your desk while your teacher explains the water cycle? Probably not great. But gaming for your school’s esports team? I’m all for it. From my company’s position at the center of the esports phenomenon, it’s been gratifying to see the industry bloom recently and to watch as education leaders discover how this deeply collaborative activity fosters social networks, school spirit and career skills for young people.

I say the esports industry has bloomed—exploded might have been a better word. There’s been a massive increase in players, viewership, events and prize amounts in the past few years. Much of this growth has occurred within education.

There are now more than 5,000 college varsity esports athletes at 170 colleges across the US. That number doesn’t even include the students supporting their school programs in roles like production or shoutcasting (esports commentary). With total esports scholarships doubling from 2019 to 2021, K12 students and educators are also taking note of gaming as a useful pathway to college and career opportunities.

Educators may be particularly interested in the apparent power of esports to close gaps in student achievement and well-being. Let’s consider the evidence: Students who participate in extracurricular activities of any kind have higher GPAs and more positive perceptions of their schools than students who don’t. They have higher self-esteem, better social skills, and more chances to discover their own talents and interests.

Meanwhile, 80% of esports players have never participated in another extracurricular activity. That means, for these students, esports is the only bridge to the benefits of extracurricular participation. How many more students would that bridge carry if we fortified it] and celebrated its place in academic culture?

The benefits of esports apply to many students apart from the gamers themselves, with the chance to develop a variety of skills. The players depend on communication, coordination and teamwork to succeed.

Read more from DA: How 2 superintendents strive to be “real people”

At the same time, other students sharpen their critical thinking and public speaking with live match commentary or they collaborate to produce the event, edit footage, design promotional content and deliver highlights and news to eager audiences. It’s not hard to see how this single hub of practical experience might inspire a hundred student journeys toward careers in STEM, media, marketing, journalism or event management.

3 keys to esports success

In 2018, the Pew Research Center found that 97% of boys and 83% of girls aged 13 to 17 identify themselves as gamers. By starting or building on esports programs, educators can harness that consensus for the sake of better academic outcomes and stronger student-body relationships. If you’re ready to move forward with an esports initiative, here are my first three recommendations:

1. Maximize resources: Use the infrastructure you’ve already got. A computer lab, for example, doesn’t have to sit idle after school — it could easily become the site of your esports program.
2. Don’t just focus on the gamers: As I’ve mentioned, some of the primary benefits of esports attach to supporting roles like shout casting and producing, so give those roles the attention they deserve and the equipment they need.
3. Be inclusive: By its nature, esports will connect participants to their school community. You can add to that effect by offering extra support to those — like girls and inexperienced gamers — who might otherwise feel unsure about joining in. Try hosting practices for beginners, or girls-only sessions, to help these gamers build confidence for other events.

By embracing esports as a conduit of social development, career opportunities and fun, schools can ensure that they are listening to students’ voices and offering them a learning experience that enhances the rest of their lives. I stand by what I said: students should be playing video games more. In the right context, every mouse click and every keyboard stroke can be a step toward something great.

The post Esports advantage: A great new way to build confidence and career skills appeared first on District Administration.

The Future of Education Technology® Conference takes place live and in person, Jan. 23-26, 2023, and the FETC Expo Hall opens at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 24—right after the opening keynote by futurist and author Daniel Burrus. Along with the hundreds of companies displaying their products and expertise, here are the other major highlights:

• Opening Night Reception: Catch up with colleagues and make new connections with a sneak preview of the solutions provided by 400+ companies.
• Startup Pavilion: Discover emerging companies, demo original products and meet the entrepreneurs making advances in the edtech market.
• Esports Gaming Arena: Competitive K-12 esports teams engage students, build culture, and promote career and college readiness. Attendees will get a live experience of esports in action.
• Content-Focused Theaters: Sessions by real-world practitioners and edtech company leaders take place in six specialized theaters: Information Technology, Technology Discovery, Thought Leadership, Esports, STEM and Pitchfest.
• Meet the Authors: Best-selling edtech authors will sign books and answer questions about the most pressing K-12 topics.
• Closing Festivities & Prize Giveaway: You can win FETC’s annual $30,000 technology prize giveaway for your school at FETC 2023’s closing festivities.

FETC Expo Hall: Theatrical insights

Here’s a closer look at the content-focused theaters:

Information Technology Theater: For those who are on the frontlines of education technology, these sessions cover the latest updates in core technology infrastructure and best practices.

Technology Discovery Theater: Designed for senior-level administrators, attendees will learn the ins and outs of emerging education products through live demonstrations.

Thought Leadership Theater: District, state and school-level leaders get insight into policy, pedagogy, wellness and school management.

Esports Theater: As esports continues to grow in popularity, district leaders will learn how esports benefit students’ academic performance.

STEM Theater: Education leaders will observe a variety of hands-on demonstrations of products that their schools can utilize to enhance their STEM programs.

Pitchfest Theater: Attendees will hear from the newest and most innovative ed-tech startups and how their technologies can change the world of education.

More from DA: Sudden change—2 superintendents resign abruptly and 2 others are fired

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Kristy Custer, the vice president of educational innovation at the High School Esports League, will tell that story in her presentation, “Why Administrators Should Support Esports in Schools,” at the 2023 Future of Education Technology® Conference in New Orleans in January. She’ll also explain that esports can encompass for-credit classes, competitive gaming and social activities. “Scholastic gaming mixes the structure of school with the fun of esports into engaging curricular and co-curricular activities that students and teachers love,” Custer says.

Attendees to FETC will find several more opportunities to expand their esports horizons:

Developing the whole child through esports

Developing a Comprehensive K-12 Esports Program: Learn how esports can be a valuable opportunity to develop the whole student as it supports health and wellness and guides students toward skills and passions in gaming, programming and other esports industries. Presenter Julie Mavrogeorge, the work-based learning and esports coordinator at Fresno USD, will detail how an esports program can anchor CTE pathways in graphic design, game design, video production, and broadcasting. Students in her district are learning video production, event planning, tournament management, shout casting and other college and career skills.

SEL benefits of esports

Correlating Esports and SEL Core Competencies: Personalized social-emotional learning can be embedded into esports with the help of Generation Esports’ “Gaming Concepts” curriculum. The program draws on the five SEL core competencies—self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills—to motivate teachers and administrators to adopt video gaming as a catalyst for SEL. Presenter: Andrew Lombardo, account executive, Generation Esports.

Students who never participated before…

Esports: From Startup to Scholarships: Last year, 200 colleges offered close to $16 million in eSports scholarships while students who had never before participated in clubs and athletics became the leaders of their gaming teams. Tami Lundberg, the chief technology officer at Fresno USD, will also show how esports motivates students to learn skills in coding, game design, shoutcasting, marketing, and communication.

Mental health and career pathways

It’s Time to Normalize Esports in Education! The pandemic forced educators to find new ways to engage students, making this school year the perfect time to introduce esports, says presenter Kristen Craft, an educational leadership coach and academic esports specialist at Generation Esports. Esports can foster post-secondary success through gaming scholarships and training for jobs in this billion-dollar industry. Craft will cover how the benefits of esports fit into K-12 education, including improving student mental health and opening CTE pathways.

More from FETC: Why social media doesn’t have to be a nuisance in school

Building ed-tech skillsets and boosting engagement

Seizing Academic Esports’ Power to Build Ed Tech Skillsets: Esports can open up a world of learning and other dynamic possibilities for students who have become disengaged from learning. Alan Sitomer, a former California teacher of the year award winner, speaker and author, will explain how using a research-based approach to academic esports can elevate student achievement and channel the passion for gaming into workforce-ready skills.

Other esports sessions include:

• Esports in Elementary Education
• Innovation Sports: Esports, STEM Education, & Innovation 
• Implementing Esports Through Athletics vs. Implementing Esports through Education 
• Put the WOW Factor Into Your Scholastic Gaming Program
• Esports: A community crafting the framework for the future! 
• Esports: Beyond Gaming 
• Growing A Global Community of Educators Around Scholastic Esports
• Building K-12 Esports Sustainability From Critical Stakeholders 

The post Why should K-12 leaders support esports? Let us count the reasons appeared first on District Administration.

The estimated income of the global esports market is nearing $1 billion a year, and the total number of competition viewers is gradually approaching 10-digit numbers. Esports are rapidly gaining momentum and analysts predict further growth, which means that investments in tournaments and venues look more and more attractive. No one will be surprised if we see esports at the Olympics soon. But creating an esports space that will actually generate income is much more difficult than building a classic stadium.

A successful arena must include good technology, be highly transformable, take into account the behavior of esports fans, and be suitable for a variety of events. Multifunctionality and mobility are the main keys to the success of creating an ideal spot for esports. In this sense, esports arenas are no different from classic sports arenas, especially indoor spaces. Capacity is usually similar to that of an indoor ice hockey stadium. Also, it’s important to know that 69% of major tournament revenue comes from sponsorships and advertising.

The advantage of esports is the absence of traditional seasonality. Competitions are held year-round, and this opens up interesting opportunities for universal halls that are experiencing a shortage of events.

Creating unparalleled experiences

Esports typology is a very difficult task for venue organizers, as there are many disciplines that differ in stage requirements and the interaction of participants. Because esports games are becoming more and more varied, an arena should be able to easily change themes. It is not so easy, say, to change the design of the site and the stands from the theme of a Pubg game to League of Legends, because these are games of completely different genres.

The main challenge for the organizers of esports competitions is to convince the audience to come. They need to create an unparalleled experience for fans to leave their cozy j&m furniture sofa, where they have everything they need to enjoy watching: a screen and a refrigerator full of snacks. That is, one needs to organize an atmosphere in which the audience, and especially esports fans, will be enthusiastic to watch the match or cheer for their favorite team.

A separate place in the world of esports is occupied by team coaches. For a long time, there has been an opinion that an esports coach needs to have a very deep knowledge of the game in order to be effective. This is partly true. Still, one doesn’t have to be very good at it. Any player who has already finished his pro-gaming career can immediately start coaching.

For this reason, candidates must first be trained in order to receive experience in different directions. Since esports players play games that can be compared to chess in complexity, the coach will need the most comprehensive knowledge. Psychology is also important here. Professional players make their careers by honing their skills in a particular role, be it race, style, or team position. Thus, their knowledge is limited to a certain niche. If the knowledge of the coach does not meet the current task, problems arise.

Achieving international stardom

In any case, all esports games require roughly the same things—spot for training, where e-sportsmen will feel calm and comfortable in order to unlock the potential of each individual player. As a rule, the team includes 5 players, 1-2 substitutes, a coach, and various managers. There may be only one manager, but he has great obligations: to organize and promote his team to various esports tournaments, closely follow esports news and other events, and possess the ability to negotiate.

More from DA: Esports remains the best vehicle to reach all K-12 students 

How to create these conveniences? Any esports team needs to organize a training spot. It should include a lot: a game room with at least five gaming computers and chairs on wheels (all PCs must be powerful enough for the complete comfort of team members). At the team training spot, players will need a place to sleep, eat, shower, etc., as well as a place where the full team would gather and discuss game tactics for further victory. Such a spot can be arranged anywhere, depending on the available funds. It shouldn’t specifically take up much space.

For example, the well-known Russian esports team for Dota 2, the current world champion in this game, is now based not in Russia but in Serbia. The same goes for the rest of the teams. Moreover, they have only one manager, one coach and one substitute player. This is quite enough for them to win the champions trophy at an international competition.

As it becomes clear, esports teams do not need much to become famous all over the world. The main thing is desire and discipline—and a good little spot for training.

The post How to create a perfect training spot for esports appeared first on District Administration.

Dedicated educators, popup non-profits, leagues and embedded organizations have rallied to bring gaming and curricula into K-12 schools with the same mission: Give kids a chance to play and build future pathways. That is especially true for students who struggle to make connections with peers or get involved in other activities.

Those who are united in the cause say the challenges, especially for tired teachers and cost-conscious administrators, are immense. But they agree that the investment is worth it.

“It’s a challenging time. COVID has had its impact on the entire ecosystem and structure of education,” says Gerald Solomon, founder and executive director of the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), the pioneer in offering academics through esports. “But the kids who engage in the data work, engage in the writing, they just shine. We’re seeing increased attendance in school. We’re seeing reengagement in the public educational system, especially when it’s wrapped in a very strategic and thoughtful educational, scholastic ecosystem.”

Despite the fallout from COVID-19 and a heavy switch to virtual (where it is native anyway), esports is still very strong. And they will take center stage again at the once-again-live Future of Education Technology Conference in Orlando from Jan. 25-28 with dozens of sessions.

Solomon said he is seeing growth in the U.S. and across the world through its many partnerships with international organizations. Two years ago, the High School Esports League (HSEL) had about 80,000 students participating. Now it has more than 140,000 and serves more than 3,400 schools.

Kristy Custer, Vice President of Educational Innovation at the HSEL and a former principal of the year in Kansas, says schools that haven’t climbed aboard yet should strongly consider it. “I’ll give you a list of 80 reasons why we should bring esports into school, but we immediately saw attendance jump and kids were so engaged. It was like a silver bullet. But if all this does is bring a little joy to kids and teachers, and a little laughter and joy to the classroom right now, that’s enough.”

Joy means better outcomes for students

The data back that up. According to Generation Esports, which runs the HSEL, attendance among students rises about 10% when kids are engaged through esports and their grade point averages jump about 1.7 points. But it’s the SEL piece, the career track connection and the ability of esports to provide unique access to all that make it a champion in schools.

Custer, who along with fellow former educator Michael Russell developed the Gaming Concepts curriculum that has been downloaded 400,000 times, noted that one high school educator told her that esports “normalizes the virtual playing field” and has become one of the top five activities at his school in just a year. Because of its reach and inclusivity, it brings in more unengaged students and gives them purpose academically because of the positive reinforcement provided in a structured environment. Esports reaches seemingly unreachable populations.

“You can come to the esports team and be whoever you want to be,” Custer says. “One of the most foundational things that we learned [from a research study done this fall of a big high school district] is that 7% of the students gaming were from the LGBTQ community. All nine top sports combined are only getting 9%. Esports is capturing a marginalized, high-risk community, and we are helping them belong to something. It crosses a lot of social-economic boundaries.”

What attracts students initially, of course, is the rush of playing. Aside from relevant paths that can open doors to careers in shoutcasting, digital arts and coding, there are huge opportunities for kids to game. A myriad of organizations offers everything from pay-to-play models to free challenges and popup events from NASEF such as Rube Goldberg, Minecraft and FarmCraft challenges. The HSEL and other platforms offer serious tournament play from Overwatch to NBA2K at the high school level and Rocket League and many other games for middle schoolers at per-semester and yearly costs to schools. Game developers are also trying to tailor new titles for younger kids.

Though monetary models have been criticized at K-12, semester and yearly fees at HSEL and MSEL aren’t too pricy ($1,500 and $750 per year, respectively), and schools have been tapping into ESSER funds to make that a reality. One deep consideration, of course, is the cost of equipment. Though schools can get a jumpstart with Nintendo Switches and consoles, the best environments have gaming PCs.

“The kid in Chicago, the kid in Wichita need access to high-quality gaming equipment,” Custer says. “You get those high-dollar PCs to spark that interest and lay that digital foundation for those kids so they say, this is fun. It is a huge equity and access piece. Some students are not playing on PCs. They’re asking for PlayStations and Xboxes, so they can play NBA2K. Why? Because they’re within the monetary range.”

Aligning gaming with education

Esports curricula vary from free to paid but are continually updated and provide a way for schools to deliver that key element that makes esports different from traditional sports—the learning element. For example, NASEF offers free English Language Arts Integrated Courses that align with content standards, career technical education and middle school modules that focus on translatable esports skills. HSEL, long known as a competition arm for esports in K-12, has made a huge commitment to add more education tie-ins, including the addition several years ago of Gaming Concepts along with the recent hiring of more than two dozen educators.

Gaming Concepts has gone from book to updated series and includes the introduction to esports (a primer for educators just getting started) as well as a technical piece on digital arts (Level 2 coming in fall 2022) that can be positioned as part of an interactive arts pathway. There is also 1.1, which focuses on “30 moments in mental health” that is being piloted among 1,600 students and includes concepts such as fighting toxicity, self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-regulation. A new Gaming Concepts 3.0 promises to be eligible for CTE funding.

The offerings from both organizations, and of course the heady work by independent teachers just simply doing it on their own, are helping students get to that level, not as gamers but taking that knowledge and earning scholarships to colleges and universities.

“The whole concept of gaming and esports by itself is a relatively closed environment, but when you wrap around social-emotional learning opportunities, curriculum, career pathway education and awareness, it is a whole new world,” Solomon says. “When you give a child an opportunity who doesn’t know that it exists, doesn’t see a future for themselves—‘I really love art. I can make a career in art around gaming that I love to do, and actually earn a living doing that’—or in a sundry of other workforce skill opportunities that are powerful. We continue to hear, especially around ELL individuals that say if it weren’t for our ability to communicate, be on teams exhibiting leadership, we would not be as proficient in communication and English without that.”

ESPORTS SESSIONS AT FUTURE OF EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE 

(All are in Esports Theater unless noted; subject to change)

Wednesday, January 26

• 9:30 AM (South 210D): Fetch Funding for STEAM and Esports Technology  with Erica Perkins, Ruckus
• 12:15 PM: Esports in Education: Skills, Exposure & Student Development with Ruben Caputo, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Daniel Ordway, ViewSonic
• 1 PM: Academic Esports Programs: Developing Esports Curriculum with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University
• 1:45 PM: Building Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through Scholastic Esports with Tyler Hahn, Cherokee Public Library, and Gerald Solomon, NASEF
• 2 PM (South 230B): From Kindergarten to College : Esports Through the Years with Douglas Konopelko, CDW
• 2:30 PM: Combine the Power of Individuality & Collaboration with Logitech Esports Solutions with Carolyn Gluth, Logitech
• 3 PM (North 220G): Esports for the Win! Evidence Based Connected Learning in Libraries with Jorrel Batac, NASEF, and Tyler Hahn, Cherokee Public Library
• 3 PM (South 230B): Esports Essentials: Engaging Students with Gaming with John Shoemaker, Palm Beach County School District (Sponsored by CDW)
• 3:15 PM: Preparing For Battle: The Art of Coaching Experts In The Games They Play with Chris “Doc” Haskell, Boise State University
• 4 PM: Esports Arena Development: A New Arms Race? with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University, and Joshua Kell, Horizon AVL
• 4:45 PM: Esports Experience: Empowering Every Learner Through Inclusive Gaming with Steve Isaacs, Epic Games, and Jesse Lubinsky, Ready Learner One

Thursday, January 27

• 10:15 AM: Esports Program Development in Education with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University
• 10:30 AM (North 220E): Esports: Foundational Research, Program Overview, Getting Started with Constance Steinkuehler, University of California, Irvine
• 11 AM: EST09 | Esports: Powerful Partnerships in K12with Douglas Konopelko, CDW
• 11:45 AM: EST10 | Esports In Higher Ed: An Educational Opportunity Beyond Gaming with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University
• 12:30 PM: EST11 | Beyond Competitive Gaming: Career Opportunities in Esports with Ruben Caputo, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Daniel Ordway, ViewSonic
• 1 PM (South 312): Esports & Financial Literacy
• 1 PM (South Hall A): Esports: What the Research Shows on STEM & SEL Benefits with Constance Steinkuehler, University of California, Irvine
• 1 PM (South 230 A): District Snapshots: Engaging Students – esports, Interactive Novel Studies, Video Production with Lori Houchin, Lee County School District and Eddy Varela, Polk County Public Schools
• 1:15 PM: Gaming Concepts: A Video Gaming Curriculum for Schools with Mental Health Moments with Kristy Custer and Michael Russell, High School Esports League
• 2:45 PM: Play Well. Be Well. Scholastic Esports + Wellness with Jorrel Batac, NASEF and Orange County District of Education
• 3:30 PM: Esports Battle Stations Everybody Needs… seriously with Joseph DiPuma, Flagler Schools

Friday, January 28

• 9:45 AM: Broadcasting Esports: The REAL Path to Pro with Chris “Doc” Haskell, Boise State University
• 10:30 AM: Esports: Improving Diversity and Inclusion with Kristy Custer and Michael Russell, High School Esports League
• 11 AM (South 230B): Florida Esports Roundtable with Douglas Konopelko, CDW
• 11:15 AM: Esports: Intersection of Learning and Intentional Play with Jorrel Batac, NASEF and Orange County District of Education; Laurie Boyer, St. Lucie Public Schools; and Gerald Solomon, NASEF
• 12 PM: Building Esports Facilities & Technology Labs and Why They Are Important with Ruben Caputo, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Daniel Ordway, ViewSonic

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The technology event that has something for every K-12 educator and administrator features a program that is wide-ranging and incredibly expansive.

Finding the perfect session to attend at the Jan. 25-28 Future of Education Technology Conference requires a bit of planning and precision, with hundreds of discussions and special workshops across five key categories. All feature experts in the field, those who have both shaped learning through technology or led the way on its implementation at small and large districts across the nation.

While featured speaker sessions and keynotes are always annual highlights, especially the engaging Tech Share LIVE!, there are scores of signature talks and dynamic leaders that cannot be missed. From those, District Administration, with the help of conference chair Jennifer Womble, selected 10 sessions that are sure to be standouts at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando:

1. 1. Leading and Teaming with District Technology Leaders: Three Superintendent Perspectives. Want to ensure your district’s digital transformation goes smoothly? Superintendents Mark Benigni (Meriden Public Schools, CT), Scott Muri (Ector County ISD, TX) and Matthew Miller (Lakota Local School District, OH) will share how they support and leverage the innovative work and input of chief technology officers and leaders.
   2. Let’s Bring Literacy To Life Through Making and Technology! On the Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist track, featured speaker Shannon McClintock Miller, the innovation director of instructional technology and library media at the Van Meter School District in Iowa, will show educators how to bring literacy to life through making and with digital tools and apps.
   3. Twenty-two for ’22: Tools and Trends to Inspire & Motivate. In this “fast-paced, lighthearted session guaranteed to tickle your geeky side”, Dr. Maureen Yoder will impart inexpensive new tips and tools—from AI, AR and VR to drones, robots and coding—that can make any teacher shine while truly activating classrooms.
   4. District Tech Leaders Power Panel: Reliance on other leaders during the pandemic has been essential for district technology leaders, and this panel led by Greg Bagby of the Hamilton County (TN) Department of Education will discuss the benefits of remote changes and teamwork across districts and the adaptation of face-to-face plans.
   5. Engaging EdTech Ideas for Digital Citizenship & Social/Emotional Learning. Christina Nunez, Educational Technology Specialist Trainer at Albuquerque Public Schools, addresses five key areas of digital citizenship (including media literacy, privacy, cyberbullying and hate speech) and SEL (including social awareness and responsible decision-making).
   6. How We Use Tech to Build Teachers Up Through Feedback. Michael Meechin, principal at NeoCity Academy (FL), will discuss how leaders can quantify the benefits of technology and give customizable and immediate feedback to instructional staff. The goal: offering technology that teachers want to improve their schools and student outcomes.
   7. Emerging Tech: Transforming Classrooms with Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Rachelle Dene Poth, Spanish and STEAM teacher at Riverview School District, and Jaime Donally of ARVRinEDU, will give attendees a primer on how new technologies can be implemented into classrooms to spark learning and excitement.

      

   8. STEM SAVES THE WORLD! Coming to a Screen Near You! In this mega session, TV creators and producers Kari Byron and Jenny Buccos of EXPLR Media talk about the importance of creative media in STEM subjects, especially science, while highlighting the impacts of storytelling for students.
   9. Education in the Crosshairs: K12 vs Cybercrime. A deep concern for any district, online crime has led to big payouts and data vulnerabilities. Get guidance from retired FBI Special Agent Scott Augenbaum and leaders from Forward Edge on mitigation strategies, the need for layered security, federal and state data privacy law implications and funding options.
   10. Coaching Through Uncertainty: Sustain Support With Empathy. On the Future of EdTech Coach, learn the four phrases you can use to reframe and reimagine support for educators and to better foster empathetic cultures. Featured speaker Brianna Hodges will provide guidance to help administrators and their teams lead schools through waves of anxiety, adversity and seemingly unending uncertainty.

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The non-profit North America Scholastic Esports Federation is teaming up with the International Esports Federation to help infuse NASEF’s curriculum and programs to schools and educators worldwide.

NASEF’s executive director, Gerald Solomon, has been appointed Chair of the World Esports Education Commission.

“Youth around the world are enthralled with esports, so it makes sense to connect play and learning for all kids, no matter where they reside or their living circumstances,” Solomon said. “We’re excited to work with IESF member nations to implement our scholastic esports programs to positively impact their students and position them to thrive and acquire the skills needed for high-demand careers.”

Through the partnership, IESF members from more than 100 nations and five continents will gain access to the tools to help students forge future pathways through esports and NASEF’s unique academic offerings. The IESF plans to help implement NASEF’s standards-based curriculum used in high schools, career tech and middle schools.

“Across the world, educators are looking for compelling ways to connect with their students and teach them valuable skills in an enjoyable atmosphere,” Vlad Marinescu, president of IESF said. “NASEF has spent years developing and refining its scholastic esports system; this alliance will allow us to leverage that expertise for the benefit of IESF students and athletes worldwide.”

In a field that is growing revenues by double-digits annually, the IESF is one of the most recognized forces in video gaming. It hosts the Global Esports Executive Summit, the Global Esports Academic Competiton and the Esports World Championship, which is the largest in the world.

NASEF is fast becoming one of the world’s premier esports forces too, having restructured its leadership team over the past year with top industry standouts while forging partnerships with the High School and Middle School Esports Leagues, the National Association of Collegiate Esports and global talent development platform Tallo. It has been building a pipeline of connections all over the globe, from England to Japan, while continuing to offer premier value for educators through initiatives such as its Scholastic Fellows Programs and camps for students.

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Along with events being planned by the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), the High School Esports League has opened registration for its Summer Challenge, which will feature several leaderboard-style tournaments.

The Challenge offers both PC and console gaming for competitions in more than 10 games, including CS:GO, Overwatch, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rainbow 6 Siege, Call of Duty, Chess.com, Hearthstone, NBA 2k21 Pro-Am, Valorant and Minecraft. Students can win ASUS merchandise during the tournament, which runs from July 5-25, with playoffs set for early August.

“School may be out for summer, but students still want to compete. HSEL has put together an extensive line-up of tournaments in our Summer Challenge,” said Conner Alne, commissioner of HSEL. “As a team environment, esports is a great way for kids to stay connected socially over the summer.”

Another way for students to connect is through a free Junior CLG Virtual Camp being offered by NASEF and esports organization CLG. Created to give young gamers a chance to develop new esports skills and assess opportunities, the camp offers creative projects with CLG’s professional players, staff, and industry experts. The camps are effectively three weeks of one-hour session – Fortnite (July 12-16), Minecraft (July 19-23) and Gaming Careers (July 26-30) with a one-day bootcamp in Valorant (July 17) in between.

“These free summer programs are the first of many examples of the expanded impact that NASEF and HSEL will have as they jointly offer opportunities to members of both organizations,” said Todd Harris, board chair of NASEF. “Our goal is to reach even more kids with fun scholastic esports programs that will help them build life and career skills. These summer 2021 esports camps, challenges, and scrims, will do just that.”

NASEF also is also providing friendly competitions in League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, Madden 21, SMITE and TFT throughout the summer via its Scrimfinder+ tool.

Stride Inc. is also offering a number of camps, including a free-tuition, two-week esports and coding camp for students in grades 7-11 on July 19-29. Stride is offering two levels – basic and intermediate – to learn as well as competitions featuring Gamer Sensei coaches. Those who complete camps can earn badges to post on Tallo to show their proficiencies.

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