Summer is a big time for educational conferences. Due to the COVID–19 pandemic, however, many conferences have been either postponed or cancelled for the year—which is unfortunate for those who look forward to the professional development and networking these events provide.
Luckily, plenty of educational conferences are moving online through the summer and fall. Take a look at these 8 conferences you can participate in from home, some of which you can attend for free.
June
Going Global 2020: June 1–30 (Free)
Since this educational conference usually takes place in England, this year might be the best opportunity for U.S. teachers to participate. During the month of June, the British Council will host live virtual events, blogs, and podcasts focused on topics for higher education teachers.
OLC Innovate: June 15–26
OLC Innovate is taking their content online this year in response to the pandemic. If you’re interested in educational technology and other classroom innovations, it might be worthwhile to check out this conference.
ALA Annual Conference: June 24–26
School librarians can take part in the American Library Association’s virtual conference this year. The event plans to include expert keynotes and sessions as well as networking opportunities with other librarians.
July
Learning with Innovative Technology Conference: July 10 (Free)
This free event has content for many types of educators, from elementary school teachers to librarians and higher education faculty as well. Additionally, after attending the conference, you can receive a certificate that may be eligible for professional development licensing requirements (depending on your district).
Course Hero Education Summit: July 29–31 (Free)
This year, Course Hero’s annual conference is focusing entirely on issues related to COVID-19. If you’re interested in understanding more about distance learning and hybrid teaching, this could be a good opportunity.
August
Distance Teaching & Learning Conference: August 3–7
This conference focused on distance teaching is more timely than ever. In addition to workshops and sessions, this conference will also include opportunities to brainstorm solutions to online learning issues with other educators.
Learning @ Scale 2020: August 12–14
Learning @ Scale is another conference that addresses issues faced by both K–12 and higher education teachers. The focus is on educational technology and creating online learning communities, which may be useful for districts who are unsure whether their classes will be able to meet in person this fall.
September
European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL): September 14–18
If you’re interested in connecting with educators from all over the globe, ECTEL may be a good option. This conference focuses on global issues in educational technology and keeping up -to date on current trends.
