SWWC IT² 2026

Educational technology should never be implemented simply because it is available. It should be deployed with purpose, aligned to instructional goals, and used to create meaningful learning experiences that improve outcomes for students. Over the past decade, schools have experienced an unprecedented expansion of devices, digital tools, online resources, and data systems. The rapid transition to remote learning accelerated technology adoption across K-12 education, often leaving districts little time to fully align technology investments with instructional practices, professional learning, and long-term strategic goals.

Today, school leaders face a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by artificial intelligence, increasing concerns about student screen time and distraction, heightened expectations around data privacy and cybersecurity, and growing demands for digital literacy and citizenship. At the same time, communities expect schools to prepare students for a future in which technology and AI will be embedded in nearly every aspect of work, learning, and daily life.

This session will challenge participants to rethink the role of technology in K-12 education and explore what it means to implement technology with purpose. Together, we will examine how districts can move beyond technology for technology's sake and develop systems, practices, and cultures that support learning, empower educators, and prepare students for an increasingly digital world. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for aligning technology initiatives with instructional priorities, fostering responsible and effective AI use, strengthening digital citizenship, and ensuring that technology investments positively impact student learning. The future of educational technology is not about more tools. It is about making intentional decisions that help students become capable learners, informed citizens, and responsible stewards of our intellectual, natural, and digital resources.

Target audience identified by presenter: All Conference Attendees

This session will share a practical, real-world look at how SWWC and Minneota Public Schools are approaching the new federal digital accessibility requirements. Participants will learn why accessibility matters, what the work actually looks like beyond the website, and lessons learned along the way … from remediating websites and PDFs to building staff awareness and accessible content-creation habits. The presenters will also discuss common challenges, tools and strategies that have helped, and realistic steps districts can take now. Attendees will leave with ideas and resources to help them start, or strengthen, their own accessibility efforts without feeling like they have to fix everything at once.

Target audience identified by presenter:
Technology Leadership, Technology Integration

Esports is already happening in your building. Students are competing online after school with no oversight, no safety net, and no district infrastructure behind them. A sanctioned program brings that activity onto systems you control, but it also lands squarely on your desk: network segmentation, endpoint management, student data privacy, and budget ownership all come with the territory. This session is a practical playbook for Technology Directors weighing whether and how to launch a scholastic esports program, plus the adjacent categories of drone racing and golf simulator leagues. We'll walk through the real infrastructure build list (hardware, network, space), the network and data governance decisions that matter most, staffing and coaching models that don't burn out one person, funding paths beyond a single line item, league and title selection, and the curriculum ties that turn a club into a CTE and STEM pathway. We'll close with the pitfalls that trip up most first year programs and a 90-day roadmap from "someone should do this" to opening match. Attendees will leave with a concrete framework for evaluating a program proposal or building one for their own district.

Target audience identified by presenter: All Conference Attendees

K-12 technology teams face growing technical and cybersecurity demands while operating under constant pressure, limited staffing, and nonstop interruptions. This interactive session explores how stress, burnout, communication breakdowns, and unrealistic expectations often create technical and security problems long before technology fails. Through real-world examples and audience discussion, participants will examine the human side of cybersecurity culture and leave with practical strategies for building healthier, more resilient technology environments in schools.

Target audience identified by presenter: All Conference Attendees;

During this presentation we'll review some of the biggest Cybersecurity Risks and ways to protect your network with defense in layers. We do a quick check on Lifecycle of Windows software and review the latest password standards in NIST 800-63B.

Target audience identified by presenter: All Conference Attendees