Having read a recent article on the benefits of attending conferences we confirmed in our minds why we continue to develop our annual conference and why we believe it is one of the best professional learning opportunities you can experience.

In our busy social media crazy world we often forget the importance of being in a live face-to-face setting with others from "our community".

There is power in being connected to other people who are active in your line of work, but it can also be easy to talk yourself out of committing to that annual conference year after year. 

Teachers are busy, so the thought of taking a few days away from school and home to participate in a conference can seem like a waste of time.  However, these face-to-face events might be just what you need to uncover new ways to continue your passion for teaching and learning.

Here are five reasons to attend a conference:

1. Educational opportunities.  No matter how experienced you are, everyone can learn.  Working in one school can often be isolating, and without exposure to a variety of points of view, we can miss new ideas and trends that can impact future results.  The educational aspect of a conference can expose you to new ways of conducting your lessons and help you discover how to be more innovative.
2. Networking with peers.  Conferences provide a great opportunity to network. Collaboration is the way to approach networking.  Most people can help each other uncover ideas and spark inspiration when they get to know each other on a personal level.
3. Encounter new vendors and suppliers.  Too often people shy away from the exhibition at conferences.  They fear that they will have to talk to salespeople, but these industry suppliers are some of the best people for you to get to know if you want to learn more about the current educational climate.  Discovering innovative products and services for your school is necessary to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced world.  Invest time with the sponsors at the event and turn them into your friends and allies.
4. Position yourself as an expert.  When you are active in your industry, you can develop a reputation as an expert to your peers and colleagues.  Those who are engaged over the long term are often asked to speak at the events and to write articles for educational publications.  Like it or not, others like to associate with the experts in any industry.  If your strategy is to be the best-kept secret in your community, you will be missing a valuable opportunity.
5. Have fun.  Being in education should be rewarding and fun.  All work and no play can get old fast.  Educational conferences can add a layer of enjoyment to managing your career growth by mixing a social aspect into your learning and branding efforts.  Many events are held in major cities. Taking an extra day at the beginning or end of the trip to explore or visit friends in the region is also a great way to maximize the investment in travel.  Never underestimate the power of a little fun mixed with some interesting people!

Many falsely believe that since they can now access a raft of information via the Internet that the days of the face-to-face conference are gone.  The truth is, conferences are more important than ever.  The value in conferences comes from the human-to-human connections that occur.  Often people cite the serendipitous “hallway conversations” that they have with other attendees as the most valuable parts of attending an event.  While these are not on the agenda, or mentioned in the breakout sessions learning objectives, when two or more people begin to discuss topics on a deeper and personal level, the success of the event to those involved becomes irreplaceable.  It is the people that bring the ROI to your time at a conference.

schoolstechOZ: Early Bird rates extended - there are currently close to 400 teachers from across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, PNG and Guinea attending the schoolstechOZ conference being held at Firbank Grammar School, Melbourne on 12, 13 and 14 September. All of these teachers took advantage of our early bird rates. As a way of helping all schools attend the conference at these great rates we have extended these prices right up until the conference begins.

There are three Registration options:

• 3 Day Option - AU $795.00 (Group 2+ $715.00 pp)
• 2 Day Option - AU $595.00 (this can be a combination of any two days)
• 1 Day Option - AU $395.00 (this can be any single day)

Find out more about the conference, the networking program, the conference App, the location, accommodation options, the conference dinner, expo and costs via the TABs above.

We hope to see you in Melbourne - a great place to be.