Innovation in Teaching Conference
New perspectives.
The Innovation in Teaching Conference highlights innovative teaching practices among educators. During this one-day conference, we ask attendees to share and take away ideas that address the "what's next" that pushes us to strive for excellence in education.
Innovative Ideas
Our presentation format gives you access to amazing new and evolving educational practices across diverse settings. Past presentations covered topics such as creating lessons without textbooks, using digital tools to increase student engagement, ways to introduce active learning into a classroom, or educational access. We encourage our presenters to think outside the box when sharing their innovative ideas, and as a result, these presentations push the envelope of what's possible in education.
Innovative Format
Our sessions are designed to maximize your exposure to new teaching practices. Sessions include "bundles" of three 15-minute presentations, followed by a short Q & A, creating hour long session blocks. Our poster sessions include refreshments and time to meet other innovative educators. Each session packs a lot of information that you can take back to your classroom and share with your colleagues.
2019 Keynote Speaker: Mimi Ito
Mimi Ito is a cultural anthropologist, learning scientist, entrepreneur, and an advocate for connected learning—learning that is equity-oriented, centered on youth interest, and socially connected. Her work decodes digital youth culture for parents and educators, offering ways to tap interests and digital media to fuel learning that is engaging, relevant, and socially connected.
She is the director of the Connected Learning Lab and professor-in-residence and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Chair in Digital Media and Learning at the University of California, Irvine. She is also co-founder of Connected Camps, a nonprofit providing online learning experiences for kids in all walks of life. Her co-authored books include "Hanging Out, Messing Around and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Media" and "Affinity Online: How Connection and Shared Interest Fuel Learning," as well as the reports, "From Good Intentions to Real Outcomes: Equity by Design in Learning Technologies" and "Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design."
Hotel Accommodations
Learn more about the UGA Hotel and Conference Center
SoTL Awards
We partner with the UGA Center for Teaching and Learning to honor the annual Emerging SoTL Scholar Awards.
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) supports building a strong teaching community that focuses on improving student learning through various initiatives, including the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). To facilitate this goal, CTL will recognize up to three presenters with the Emerging SotL Scholar Award and support them in their development toward publication and presentation.
The Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development
A new conference partner, The Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, is a service, research, and instructional center concerned with the identification and development of creative potential and with gifted and future studies. This UGA-housed center focuses on implementing and evaluating techniques for enhancing creative thinking and facilitating national and international systems that support creative development.
Conference Kick-Off Events
This year's one-day conference registration will include access to new kick-off events on Thursday October 24th. The Torrance Center will host their 2019 Torrance Lecturer, Dr. Michael Mumford, from 5-6 p.m. in the Georgia Center. Following this engaging lecture, the Center for Teaching and Learning will host the SoTL reception. Light snacks and a cash bar will be provided from 6-7 p.m. This is a great chance to meet fellow innovators before the official conference start on Friday.
Our Partners
Be a Partner
For a $1,000 sponsorship, our conference partners receive recognition on our website, in our program, and throughout the conference. This is a great way to directly reach professionals in higher education across disciplines who appreciate new and innovative thinking in the classroom.
Email us for details on sponsorships.
Past Conferences and Keynotes
2018
Chris Dede of Harvard's Graduate School of Education is a leader in mobile learning initiatives and has developed a widely used framework for scaling up educational innovations. Download Dede's presentation
2017
Bonni Stachowiak is a professor at a small, private, liberal arts university where she is also the director of teaching excellence and digital pedagogy, allowing her to collaborate with all other faculty in improving teaching.
2016
Lynn Bryant began her career as a high school physics teacher. She now devotes her time to working with K-12 science teachers to bring them leading-edge science content.
2015
Larry Johnson is founder and CEO of EdFutures. He is widely considered one of the world's leading experts in emerging technologies and learning.
2014
Peter Doolittle is professor and director of the Virginia Technical Institute Office of the Provost, where he manages the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research and other professional development programs.