Courageous Edventures Challenge - Day 2

Today's #couraeousedventures challenge was to commit to a conference.  Jennie asks that we research different educational technology conferences and commit to attending at least one.  Once we have selected that conference, we are asked to blog about why we chose that specific conference and what we wish to learn as a result. 

Every year, edSurge puts out a visual wheel of the top K-12 Education Technology Conferences.  Here is a link to the wheel.

I print this wheel off every year and post it up in my office for a few reasons:

1. To see the latest and greatest conferences that are out there to attend.
2. As a reminder to possibly present at at least one of these conferences.
3. As a reminder to hop on Twitter during these conferences to see what's going on.

Every year I make it a point to attend the Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC) and the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) Conference.  I have presented at GaETC a few times as well as in the Exhibit Hall at ISTE.  I absolutely love the energy of the passionate educators at each of these conferences.  ISTE presents a global perspective of instructional technology as there are presenters and attendees from all across the world.  These 2 conferences are no brainers for me!  They happen every year!  I have toyed around with the idea of not attending ISTE and going to FeTC instead or Miami Device, but I always come back to ISTE.  There really is no other conference out there that brings like minded, techie people together!  

Hopefully, I will be attending Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) this year as I have been accepted to present on a panel with some of my fellow Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert colleagues!  This presents an amazing opportunity to share the story of how 2 districts have been able to partner together and become educational technology partners.  

This challenge did indeed force me to take a look at different conferences that are out there, but honestly, these 2 conferences provide me with something new each and every year!   I hope to add TCEA to this list of conferences this year.

Which conferences do you attend every year?  What do you get out of them?