SXSW EDU: Supporting Our Nation’s Educators

Mar 6

Following in the footsteps of the main SXSW event, SXSW EDU will be heading to the virtual world for 2021, with three days of jam-packed digital programming scheduled for March 9th through the 11th.

History

Founded in March of 2011, SXSW EDU began as a Texas-centric K-12 program. In years since, it has evolved into one of the world’s largest learning festivals, blending education with groundbreaking strides in the industries of film and tech.

SXSW EDU is a spinoff of Austin-born multimedia festival “South by Southwest”, promoting innovation and developments within the education sector. At SXSW the focus is often on tech CEOs and Hollywood headliners, but at SXSW EDU the stars of the show are our educators; who have faced a year of unprecedented challenges in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.

Programming

This year’s event is slated to take place ahead of the main SXSW festival and will continue its support of the global education community through a new, virtual platform. The 2021 lineup will feature a carefully-crafted group of education journalists, tech-whizzes and thought-leaders within the education community.

Headliners will include the likes of Captain America star and civic engagement activist Chris Evans, along with keynote speaker Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey is set to discuss the effects of childhood trauma with pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Perry, in an opening conversation on Tuesday, March 9th.

In addition to star-studded presentations, virtual attendees will enjoy all the best features of a traditional in-person event, including panel discussions, A&As, film screenings and more. Topics of discussion are tailored to our specific and unprecedented times, tackling issues such as racial equality, emerging technology and financial accessibility to higher education.

Following a summer of intense protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death, SXSW EDU has committed to more than a dozen sessions on confronting racism in the classrooms and providing support for black students.

Education Support

As expected from a conference with a huge focus on tech, virtual learning will be a key focus of this year’s event. In the face of COVID-19, teachers, students and parents alike have become all-too-familiar with the struggles of managing a virtual classroom.

EDU Online seeks to present a variety of solutions through panels on topics such as computer science, building a stable home-school connection, and ways to bring student engagement into a digital space.

Attendance

This year’s event is fast-approaching, but it’s not too late to register! Attendees can still score a special, pre-registration rate of $139 for an all-access online pass. The pass covers all event programming, including conference keynotes, film screenings, networking opportunities, exhibitions and more.

*Please note: due to the event’s nature, some film screenings may be geo-blocked due to regional copyright. Some content may also be subject to limited capacity to maintain server stability.

Which presentations are you most excited to attend?