The Schools of the Future Planning Committee is pleased announce SOTF Reimagined! Given the ongoing uncertainty presented by the Covid-19 situation, the 2020 conference will be virtual. Additionally, since we are no longer beholden to a physical space, the dates have been changed to Thursday and Friday, October 29 and 30. We are also pleased to offer this year’s conference at greatly reduced registration rates.
The change of format lends itself well to creativity and innovation. In redesigning the program, attendees will be able to access additional content and participate in multiple tracks, both features that are not possible with an in-person event. New features include:
As we have worked to reimagine the 2020 Conference, we have asked all speakers and presenters to ensure that their content is relevant and timely, taking into account all that has transpired as a result of shifting to distance learning this year. The goal of SOTF, as always, is to deliver a conference that helps inform best practices in education going forward. To that end, the planning committee is redesigning the Conference with that intention in mind. The landscape of teaching and learning has changed and this year's Conference aims to support educators as they design effective learning environments for whatever tomorrow may bring.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Oak Fund at the Hawaii Community Foundation, we are able to offer a limited number of needs-based registration scholarships for administrators and teachers from schools serving rural communities in Hawaii to attend the 2020 Conference. All educators meeting the eligibility criteria are able to apply, but preference will first be given to individuals on Hawaii Island followed by educators working in rurally located schools.
Eligibility:
Please review the complete Learner Variability Scholarship Description and Criteria before applying.
A maximum of 3 scholarships will be awarded to educators from the same school. Awards will cover the entire SOTF registration fee. Applications will be accepted until September 15th or until the total funding amount has been depleted.
Learner Variability Scholarship Application
The reimagined virtual conference will include student presentations on both conference days. Student presentations will be scheduled according to the date preference noted in the form, but may be scheduled during any of the session blocks (between 10:30 am - 4:00 pm). Proposals will also be considered for both synchronous (live) and asynchronous (pre-recorded) presentations.
The purpose of these sessions is to give students the opportunity to teach the teachers. Student proposals should address best teaching practices and should inspire thinking about learning from the student's perspective. We ask that you ensure that your proposal is relevant and timely, given all that has transpired as a result of shifting to distance learning this year. We encourage you to consider all that has been learned during this extraordinary time and apply some of those takeaways to your presentation. The goal of SOTF, as always, is to deliver a conference that helps inform best practices in education going forward. To that end, the review committee will pay particular attention to whether proposals are reflective, in some way, of the teaching and learning environment we now find ourselves in.
All proposals can include up to 3 students and must include 1 teacher who will serve as an advisor and point person.
The Schools of the Future Conference explores a wide-range of topics and ideas. Conference tracks are offered as a means of illuminating content that is of most interest to attendees.
