3 easy ways to get involved with SXSWedu 2021

South by Southwest® (SXSW) is the largest festival of its kind for creative professionals around the world. For those not familiar, the event is actually a series of conferences and festivals that encompass music, film and emerging technologies. While SXSW includes a number of events, the SXSWedu Conference and Festival looks specifically at learning and innovation in education.

Celebration banner. Text reads "Get involved with SXSW Edu 2021"

SXSWedu 2021 takes place March 9 – 11 and this year, like many events of its kind, is going virtual! It includes engaging sessions, interactive workshops, hands on learning experiences, film screenings, early stage startups and a host of networking opportunities. If you haven’t checked out the event before you should definitely visit their site to learn more.

SXSWedu offers unique opportunities for attendee engagement before, during, and after the conference that are unlike any other conference in the industry! Even though the event is more than 4 months away, plenty of social buzz is already happening. That’s why we’ve listed below the top 3 ways you can get involved with SXSWedu, starting today…

1 – PanelPicker – Even if you can’t make the event itself, you can still help decide what sessions will be offered. This year SXSWedu is using a crowdsourced platform that is responsible for 30% of the decision making process towards what sessions will be accepted. There’s usually well over 1000 sessions submitted each year, so your input will go a long way in deciding what sessions make the final cut. The process to vote is simple. Just visit https://www.sxswedu.com/panelpicker/ and click sign in. You do have to create an account, but it only takes a few seconds.

Not sure where to start after signing in? We would love your help towards our CEO, Martin McKay’s session accepted, but don’t worry, you can vote for as many sessions as you want.

Learning in a changing landscape

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented change in the education systems across the world. As educators increasingly look to technology to support their practice, they should focus on evidence-based solutions that drive student motivation and improve student outcomes. In this session, we’ll explore the power of learning analytics to determine areas of weakness allowing educators and administrators to focus on progression and improvement, helping to close the achievement gap. 

2 – Social Media – Follow the latest news about the conference, learn what’s trending, and connect with your favorite speakers. SXSWedu information is available on the following social channels. See what’s trending today on your favorite social channel: #SXSWedu #PanelPicker #edchat

Twitter: @sxswedu

Facebook: facebook.com/sxswedu

Instagram: @SXSWedu

YouTube: SXSWedu

3 – Attend the event – the conference, festival and expo offer many opportunities to immerse yourself in the compelling content from industry leaders in education and this year with the event moving to a virtual format, may make it more appealing.

SXSWedu online pass – this year the online pass for SXSWedu Online covers the entire event, allowing attendees to take in programming and connect with others throughout the experience. Registration includes keynotes & Featured Speakers, Mentor, Converse, Talk, and Work Sessions, Film Screenings and Performances and lots more!

Register today for $69 – student discounts are also available 

Can’t make the online event? Follow the latest news about SXSWedu on social and via the official SXSW newsletter. You can start by taking a look at some past sessions posted on YouTube. 

Have you attended SXSWedu before? If so be sure to leave any helpful tips in the comments area below!