Educational tech conference set for March 6-8
Feb. 14, 2002
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- More than 4,000 educators are expected to attend the 26th annual Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning conference from Wednesday through Friday, March 6 through 8, at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel/Grand Center in Grand Rapids.
The MACUL event is one of the nation's largest educational technology conferences, attracting thousands of teachers, administrators and school board members from Michigan, neighboring states and Canada. Designed for educators at all levels, it allows those attending to freshen their skills as well as share their knowledge and concerns regarding educational uses of computers and technology.
This year's event carries the theme "Soaring on the Wings of Change" and is being coordinated by the Conferences and Seminars office at Western Michigan University.
Exhibit halls in the Grand Center will be open to the public for a $10 charge and will feature more than 200 exhibit booths by 150 companies. Displays of the latest and greatest in hardware, software and peripherals will highlight how technology can enhance teaching and learning.
Dr. Jennifer James, a renowned cultural anthropologist, will give the opening keynote address on "The Human Face of Technological Change" at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 7.
"We are all becoming 'cyborgs,' part technician and part human consciousness. Our current leadership assignment is nothing less than the re-making of our traditional workers and our organizations into more civilized and productive cyber forms," James says.
"We can teach the mind to adapt but it's a tough assignment. The key is the ability to think in new ways. We need to understand what our life and our business is now about and what our organization's place in the global market is likely to be."
Some 40 other featured speakers at the conference will explore topics such as "Using Technology to Enhance Teacher/Student Relationships!" and "Lumberjack Leadership: School Administrators and Technology Integration."
In addition, nearly 300 informational sessions on best practices and trends in educational technology will be presented by classroom teachers and leading technology experts from across the country. Sessions will run the gamut from "I've got a computer--Now What?" to "Intermediate HTML: Links, Tables, Frames and Forms" to "Implementing a Campuswide Wireless Initiative."
"The MACUL Board of Directors and Planning Committee have developed an awesome slate of events, speakers, exhibitors and special events to make the 2002 conference one of the best ever," says Barbara Bartosiewicz, president of the MACUL board and a business/technology teacher for the Manistee (Mich.) Area Public Schools.
Registration fees
If registering before Feb. 25, the 2002 conference will cost $130. The cost for students registered by that date is $75. Thursday- and Friday-only rates as well as single- and special-session rates also are available.
MACUL is a non-profit organization that has more than 6,000 members and is headquartered in Holt, Mich. Established in 1975, it provides a forum for educators to focus on ideas, techniques and materials related to educational technology. WMU's Conferences and Seminars office has coordinated the association's annual conference for more than 10 years.
For additional information, call Ric Wiltse, MACUL executive director, at (517) 694-9756. To register, call Wiltse' s office or visit the MACUL Web site at <www.macul.org>.
Media Note: To obtain a press pass or arrange an interview with a featured speaker, contact Ric Wiltse, executive director of the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning, at (517) 694-9756.
Media contact: Jeanne Baron, 269 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu