Advance Program
NECC'95

Emerging Technologies - Lifelong Learning National Educational Computing Conference

This is an exciting time, a challenging time. Computing and telecommunications present us this new ways to learn and new ways to teach. The notion that education should emphasize the long haul - a lifetime of learning - combines synergistically with emerging technologies that, if used wisely, can make information more available and ideas more compelling for all of us. The sixteenth annual National Educational Computing Conference, NECC'95 will focus on creative ways of harnessing the tremendous power of the emerging technologies and creatively exploiting them for the benefit of learners and teachers.

Keynoters and spotlight speakers will address various aspects of emerging technologies with emphasis on new ways of teaching and learning. Ben Shneiderman will challenge the group with his address, Education by Engagement and Construction. From his experience as head of the HumanComputer Interaction Laboratory and research in teaching and learning he will talk about involving students in the process of teaching and learning. Gale Warshawsky, winner of the Information Systems Security Association's 1994 Individual Achievement Award, will present the exciting educational package she developed to help young children learn to use computers responsibly. The Conference Luncheon speaker, John Phillipo, draws on his rich background to speak about how emerging technologies must be significant part of the educational reform needed to meet the challenges of schools in the next century. Linda Roberts, special advisor to the U.S. Department of Education for educational technology, will be joined by a panel of experts and recent school award winners to discuss the challenges and opportunities in education using technology. In addition to the many, many types of sessions and activities which have been valued by the attendees in prior years, we are adding a series of Classroom Demonstrations where you can see examples of successful teaching/learning. Another addition is the Brown Bag Lunch at which you are encouraged to meet with attendees with similar interests - an excellent way to establish contacts and share experiences.

A very special addition to the conference this year is a series of presentations and demonstrations by the recipients of awards from the Division of Undergraduate Education of the National Science Foundation. These special presenters have been picked from those awardees who use computing in enhancing undergraduate education. They represent the field of biology, chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. From these innovators who have developed model programs, we can all gain new insights.

Baltimore is a wonderful location for a conference and June is a great time to visit. NECC'95 will hold most of its activities at the Baltimore Convention Center located between the well-known Inner Harbor and the famous Oriole's Camden Yards. Please ma ke your hotel reservations before May 15, 1995 to assure a convenient location and register before May 10, 1995 to obtain the lower rate. Pre-conference workshops will be held in convenient locations in Baltimore and near-by locations. Please join us for an exciting week of sharing and learning together.

Doris K. Lidtke Keith Miller
Conference Chair Program Chair