CalSPRA’s Issues in Education Conference will be formatted as a one-day workshop filled with powerful professional learning and networking for our members. We hope that this revised format for the fall conference will keep it within the economic realities of our members.

Our agenda will focus on getting the most out of Web 2.0 and social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter.

Scheduled topics and speakers include: (Subject to change)

The world of Web 2.0 in crisis and in schools -  Kelly Huston is deputy director for communications for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and travels the state during times of crisis like the recent fires in southern California. He is also author of procommunicator.com where he provides tools, tips, and tutorials for public information officers and other communication professionals. Huston will provide an overview of available tools, how they impact school communication, and a hands-on tutorial.

What are 21^st Century Skills and 21^St Century Learning? – Joe Wood is an instructional technologist in the San Juan Unified School District where he helps teachers embrace technology in the classroom. Wood will help CalSPRA members define and understand terminology to ensure we can provide leadership and support as more of our districts engage in delivering 21^st Century Skills.

Journalists and social media – Sharon McNary is a longtime newspaper journalist who is now "the voice of Twitter and Facebook" for the KPCC/Southern California Public Radio newsroom. McNary will discuss how journalists are using social media for news reporting and how schools can use these new communication and information gathering tools. She'll also talk about her new project, Public Insight Journalism, which seeks to engage all kinds of people to be news sources.