CESI 2015 ConferenceAs it’s now February, anticipation in educational technology circles in Ireland is building towards the annual conference of the Computers in Education Society of Ireland (CESI) which will be held on Saturday February 28th. The theme of this year’s conference is “Beyond the Horizon: Technology in Education“.

Attendees will be spoiled for choice with thirty presentations, workshops and the keynote addresses. This blend of presentations, workshops, vendors and networking opportunities which has proven so popular in previous years will again be a feature of this year’s conference which will be held again this year in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) campus in Galway.

Friday Night TeachMeet

teachmeet_east_westAs always, the conference will be preceded on Friday night, February 27th by a Teachmeet in the Clayton Hotel, Galway. This follows a “Teachmeet” format where the atmosphere is less formal. Presentations are delivered in three formats: Nano (2mins), Mini (5-7 mins) and Soap Box (15 mins).

Throughout the evening there are usually competitions and spot prizes and the evening finishes off with refreshments and chat. This event will be hosted this year by Teachmeet East for a special “East Meets West” Teachmeet.

Keynote Speakers

The annual CESI conference is well known for the quality of the Keynote speakers it attracts each year and this year is no different. Tim Rylands and Sarah Neild will deliver the opening Keynote this year, entitled “Out of this World – Tech to Inspire” where they will present some inspiring, accessible tools and ideas, for raising the level of writing, speaking and listening, and creativity in children of all ages.

The closing Keynote will be delivered this year by John Davitt where he will explore where we are, and as we approach the Horizon, a look at some new tools and open education resources for active learning.

Presentations/Workshops

CESI has just released the conference programme and there is a wide range of talks to suit everybody. Topics covered include Android Tablets, Beebot, BYOD, Flipped Classroom, Google Classroom, Mathletes, MOOCs, Makey Makey and many more. Attendees can plan their day in advance by viewing the Conference Timetable and the Conference Abstracts and Presenter Biographies.

Registration

Registration for the Conference is now open on the CESI website. Tickets for the Friday night TeachMeet usually sell out in advance. You can register and pay for the Saturday conference/workshops and the Friday night TeachMeet through the website HERE.

For teachers interested in the integration of technology in the classroom, registration for this annual conference is a must. Early registration for the conference would greatly assist the committee with the organisation of the event.