Draft:TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association)

• Comment: Please also see WP:DISCLOSE for how to correctly disclose your WP:COI. Greenman (talk) 09:42, 2 October 2024 (UTC)

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The Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to advancing technology in education. Established in 1980, TCEA provides resources, professional development, and advocacy to help educators integrate technology effectively into their teaching practices including TCEA—an ed tech event, teaching and leading with technology, and TCEA certifications. TCEA also provides a suite of professional learning resources, including webinars, online courses, consulting services.

History

The Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) was formed during the 1979–1980 school year, as educators across Texas began to explore the use of computers in education. A group of these educators, seeking instruction in programming, enrolled in a night course at North Texas State University taught by Dr. James L. Poirot. Among them were Vicki Smith and Diana Radspinner, who initiated a conversation about creating a network for teachers interested in educational technology. Dr. Poirot agreed to organize a meeting to discuss this idea further if they were willing to assist with the initial planning and paperwork.

On May 3, 1980, an organizational meeting was held, attended by 135 educators from across the state. The first official meeting of TCEA took place on October 4, 1980, at North Texas State University, where a constitution was adopted, and the first board of directors was elected. The organization's first newsletter was subsequently published, and TCEA made its initial public appearance at the National Education Computing Conference (now ISTE) in Denton, Texas in the summer of 1981. At that time, the association was organized into five geographic areas, each represented by one or two directors.

TCEA's early operations were led by a part-time executive director, Robert Knight, who worked from his home in Lubbock, Texas. The organization has since expanded to include members across the United States and internationally. TCEA has grown into the largest state organization in Texas dedicated to educational technology.

Conferences and events

TCEA is recognized for organizing and hosting a range of events that promote innovation in elementary, secondary, and higher education.

TCEA Convention & Exposition

Established in 1980, The TCEA Annual Convention & Exposition is TCEA's flagship conference, bringing together educators, administrators, and ed tech professionals from around the world to exchange ideas, strategies, and innovative approaches in education. The event attracts more than 10,000 educators and education leaders. Held alongside the annual TCEA Convention & Exposition is the Leadership Summit for educational leaders at the district and campus level. Recent conferences have been held in Austin, Texas (2024), San Antonio, Texas (2023), and Dallas, Texas (2022).

Elementary Technology Conference

The Elementary Technology Conference (ETC), formerly known as "Tots and Technology," was launched in 2011 by TCEA to explore innovative approaches in elementary education with PreK-5 educators. The event is held in Galveston, Texas and brings together over 1,000 educators and education leaders to share strategies and practices for integrating technology into elementary classrooms. Previous conferences were held throughout Texas in the cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco.

Other events

In addition to the TCEA Annual Convention & Exposition, TCEA hosts various smaller events focused on specific topics. In 2012, TCEA launched the System Administrators and Technical Support Conference, held in the Austin-Georgetown, Texas area. This conference is designed for professionals who manage hardware, software, network, and infrastructure support in PreK-16 educational settings. In 2017, TCEA introduced the Conference for Educational Coaches (CEC), a hybrid event offered both in-person and virtually, that supports individuals involved in the coaching process and promoting the professional growth of educators. In 2022, TCEA began hosting the Librarian Conference, a virtual event uniting school librarians that explores the latest trends and technologies in librarianship. In 2023, TCEA also began hosting the Artificial Intelligence for Educators Conference (AI for Edu), a virtual event which focuses on using AI in education.

Professional Learning

TCEA provides professional development opportunities on a variety of educational topics including artificial intelligence, digital citizenship, computational thinking, and teaching with technology. The organization offers professional learning for a range of educator roles, including instructional and ed tech coaches, library media specialists, and classroom educators and school leaders. In May 2020, TCEA expanded their online courses to prepare educators to be effective at teaching and leading online as most school districts cancelled face-to-face instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advocacy efforts

TCEA advocates for the use of technology in education by working with state and national policymakers to support legislation and policies that promote equitable access to digital resources for all students. The organization's advocacy efforts concentrate on key issues such as digital equity, funding for educational technology, and providing professional learning opportunities for educators.

Membership

TCEA has over 80,000 members worldwide and is extended to all roles in education including teachers, administrators, librarians, and curriculum and instructional specialists who are interested in the use and application of technology in education.