HGSE to Cosponsor Edtech Conference

The Harvard Graduate School of Education will cosponsor the second annual "Across Boundaries" conference with leading edtech organization LearnLaunch on February 28 and March 1. An anticipated 500 entrepreneurs, educators, investors, students, and other industry experts will convene at Harvard University to explore how edtech can scale student success.

“HGSE is delighted to be collaborating with LearnLaunch, a leading-edge edtech entrepreneurship organization, to convene this conference on the potential of education technology to improve K–20 education outcomes at scale,” said Dean James Ryan. “The HGSE faculty, including conference keynote speaker Professor Chris Dede, includes internationally recognized education technology researchers who are committed to working closely with edtech to design, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve technologies that will support robust teaching and learning in our classrooms.”

The two-day conference will feature Professor Chris Dede, Christensen Institute’s Heather Staker, and EdSurge founder Betsy Corcoran, who will moderate a panel of edtech entrepreneurs including Panorama Education Founder Aaron Feuer, TenMarks Founder Andrew Joseph, and Educate Online CEO Carol Vallone. Panel discussions will cover topics in K–12 and higher education such as “Gamification & Learning,” “Competency-Based Learning,” “Your Go to Market Strategy,” “Funding your Startup,” “University CIO Hot Seat,” and “Superintendent Hot Seat.”

By bringing together a unique mix of participants ranging from entrepreneurs, educators, strategic players, and investors to students who are passionate about edtech, the conference aims to promote a dialogue about the impact of digital learning on the future of education in the United States. In particular, participants will discuss the potential of technology to improve learning and educational access.

“I look forward to the intense dialogue that happens at this conference among the varied participants of New England's edtech ecosystem,” said investor Jon Karlen of Flybridge Capital. “This is a cauldron of legacy and new players, startups and established companies, educators and entrepreneurs.”

“Greater Boston is a hub for high-performing educators, digital learning products, and services creators. It is exciting to see this innovation ecosystem develop here, as both a stimulus to student achievement and to economic development,” said LearnLaunch supporter Chris Gabrieli of Mass2020.

Support for the conference has been provided by Google, Pearson, Curriculum Associates, Cengage Learning, The Parthenon Group, Education First, Muzzy Lane Software, Education Growth Advisors, and Rethink Education.

For more information or to register for conference, please visit the: http://conference.learnlaunch.org.