27 Virtual Education Conferences to Boost Your Professional Development This Winter

Conferences are a great part of an educator’s professional-development toolkit. These meetings of the minds allow professionals from various districts to come together and improve their strategies. During this time for gathering, educators collaborate and exchange just as many email addresses as best practices - leaving the conference with wonderful new connections. 

Just like our relaxing winter breaks, conferences are also a type of self-investment. We return from both breaks and conferences inspired and rejuvenated for the remainder of the year, which benefits educators professionally and personally. However, conferences offer advantages such as networking with like-minded professionals and exchanging tips and tools with other educators. We’re making professional self-investment easy with our event round-up for educators. 

While in-person events are scheduled, COVID is still an uncertainty in our lives, and the latest variant, Omicron, is spreading quickly. That’s why we’ve gathered events that all have a virtual option. See below for 27 exciting options, with multiple events happening in New Jersey!

27 Virtual Education Conferences 

The Black Creators Series 
Jan. 11, Feb. 14, March 14, April 19, May 17, June 21
Virtual, free

Kicking off this month, The Black Creators Series features the work of Black authors and illustrators. The series is led by Sonja Cherry-Paul, Director of Diversity and Equity at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. For anyone not able to attend the live stream, the series will be made available as a podcast, with season one already streaming on the website. 

NJEA Equity Alliance Conference
Jan. 14-15, 2022
Hard Rock Casino, Atlantic City
Pricing TBD

Being held in person in 2022, the NJEA Equity Alliance Conference is taking place at the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City. This year’s focus is on social justice training, and attendees will leave with a better understanding of social justice activism, recognizing the intersection of diverse identities and circumstances among NJEA members and the communities they serve.

Lean In Latinas 2022 
Jan. 15, 2022
Virtual, free

Did you know Latinas are the least likely of all women to complete a higher education degree? That's right. Only 26.6% of Latinas achieve this essential career milestone. The Get InspirED Summit aims to change this staggering statistic. Join Lean In Latinas at this 2022 summit and strategize with accomplished Latinas and allies to support higher education attainment for our Latina students.
 

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 2022 Convention & Expo
Jan. 16-19, 2022
Orlando, hybrid 
Pricing TBD

Educators can attend this conference in sunny Florida or from the comfort of their homes. The Council for Exceptional Children hosts this event specifically for special educators. Attendees will discover research, tips and strategies for students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. 

Creativity, Arts and Culture in Education
Jan. 19, 2022
Virtual, free

This year’s theme is Awakening Brilliance: Innovative Pedagogies to Cultivate Every Student's Potential. Keynote speaker Peter Gamwell will speak on how to best foster brilliance in every student by creating those conditions through the classroom’s learning culture.

Social Emotional Learning and Whole Child Education
Jan. 19, 2022
Virtual, free

This conference will go over what social emotional learning is and what it isn’t. The phrase has been quite the buzzword in recent years, and here, educators will learn exactly what it means, why it benefits students and how to best implement it in the classroom.

Teaching Science Today: Challenges and Solutions  
Jan. 19, 2022
Virtual, free

Attend this Education Week-sponsored event to discuss controversial issues in science & ways to increase interest and relevance of science among students of color who are underrepresented in the world of science. Session formats include panel discussions, individual presentations and fireside chats, all with an opportunity for audience participation. 
 

Progressive Education Summit
Jan. 20-22,  2022
Virtual, free

Progressive educators come together and collaborate to answer the following questions: How do we foster true care, love and healing for ourselves and with each other?; How do we teach in a way that truly responds to the needs of children?; and How do we link arms and navigate these times together?

For Teachers, By Teachers Conference for Social Studies Educators 
Jan. 22,  2022
Virtual Free

Social Studies teachers across the nation should mark their calendars for this professional gathering. At this half-day conference, seasoned facilitators will lead sessions exploring various topics/themes in social studies, instructional strategies, literacy best practices, technology application, assessment and more.  Social studies teachers of all grade levels will find something of value at this event.

NJEA Winter Leadership Conference  - South
Jan. 28-29, 2022
Pricing TBD

The NJEA Winter Leadership Conference is happening in three New Jersey locations this winter. The first of the three kicks off in South Jersey. This conference is for educators of all levels and encourages these professionals to meet new, regional connections. 

LitCon
Jan. 29-Feb. 5, 2022
Members: $450
Non-members: $550

The largest K-8 literary conference in North America is virtual and accessible to literature educators all over the world. This year, LitCon will feature live and on-demand sessions, more than 100 hours of content and many other ways to improve student learning and literacy.

Celebrate Your Story Virtual Conference
Feb. 1 - Mar. 6,  2022
Virtual, free

Starting February 1st, the Celebrate Your Story Conference will launch a month-long professional experience that will leave educators both inspired and informed. Coordinated by Todd Nesloney @TechNinjaTodd, the conference is FREE and the presenter line-up is packed with edStar Power that will help teachers improve their instructional strategies and general professional practice.

Literacy Matters Conference  
Feb. 2,  2022
Virtual Free

Aldine ISD is opening its virtual doors to all educators interested in improving literacy outcomes for all students. They have assembled more than 15 national and international literacy experts for their FREE online 2022 Literacy Matters Conference. If you're interested in the equity issues, curriculum development or strategies for improving reading comprehension, this conference will address all of this and more.

New Jersey Climate Change Education Summit
Feb. 2-4,  2022
Virtual, free

With climate change becoming more difficult to ignore, it is the job of educators to help young learners understand why we are facing climate change and how they can make a positive impact on the planet. The New Jersey Climate Change Education Summit will feature workshops led by youth activists, educators, and education and sustainability policy experts.

NJEA ESP Conference
Feb. 4-6, 2022
Hilton East Brunswick
$330

The NJEA ESP Conference was created as a space for educational support professionals to gather, connect, develop their skills and share strategies. During this year’s event, the 2022 NJEA Educational Support Professional of the Year will be honored.

Engage Series for Math Teachers 
Feb. 7 - Apr. 19,  2022
Virtual, free

AMTNJ will present and share resources for math teachers of all grade-levels during its 2022 Engage Series. The sessions are offered on Monday evenings for one-hour and address topics such as assessment intervention, elementary mathematics and educator wellness. Each topic is presented over the course of three Mondays, and coordinators highly recommend that participants attend all three sessions in the series for maximum benefit.

The Pandemic, Education and Children Around the World
Feb. 9,  2022
Virtual, free

The COVID pandemic has affected 1.6 billion learners, causing significant learning loss and challenges educators thought they’d never face in their careers. This conference will explore what can be done to shift from crisis to recovery and beyond recovery. Additionally, speakers will focus on what adaptable education systems and a global commitment to learning looks like.

Education for Sustainable Development: past, present and future
Feb. 10,  2022
Virtual, free 

RCE London is marking its 10th anniversary with a free webinar series. The topic focuses on “Education for Sustainable Development,” which is an alternative form of education that is envisioned to help society transition towards sustainability through achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Thriving Schools Summit 
Feb. 15,  2022
Virtual, free

Presented by Panorama Education, this all-day virtual conference focuses on supporting students by ensuring the overall health and wellness of the stakeholder community working with them, including teachers and families. Renowned K12 experts Jessica Minahan, author of The Behavior Code, and Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond are among the featured speakers who will lead conversations addressing family partnerships, adult well-being, and trauma-informed practices.

2022 National ESEA Conference
Feb. 16-19, 2022
New Orleans, hybrid
$659

The core mission of ESEA is to build the capacity of education professionals to provide disadvantaged children with a high quality education. The National ESEA Conference focuses on how to address the needs of disadvantaged students and features five keynote speakers, in addition to the more than 130 sessions. 

NJEA Winter Leadership Conference - North
Feb. 25-26,  2022
Pricing TBD

The second of the three NJEA Winter Leadership Conferences, this event is taking place in North Jersey and comes a month after the South Jersey conference. Attendees represent educators of all professional levels and the conference encourages these professionals to make new, regional connections. 

NJEA Winter Leadership Conference - Central
April 1-2,  2022
Pricing TBD

Wrapping up the NJEA Winter Leadership Conference series, Central New Jersey educators have a chance to connect, collaborate and share. Attendees represent educators of all professional levels and the conference encourages these professionals to make new, regional connections. 

NJEA Preservice Conference 
April 9,  2022
Pricing TBD

Another New Jersey-specific conference is happening this quarter! This time, the focus is on NJEA Pre Service members. Those on their way to teaching can supplement their training with this informative conference, as well as network with potential future employers.

Meeting the Moment: Reimagining Equity and Access for a New Educational Era
April 12-14, 2022
Virtual, pricing TBD

Students have had to face a lot of challenges over the past two years - especially if they are also facing systemic disadvantages. During the Meeting the Moment conference, educators will discuss the pressing need to prioritize mental health and well-being. Additionally, the conference will explore methods for implementing anti-racist, culturally centric programming and policies.

Teaching Purposeful Brains: Creating Thriving Schools in Uncertain Times
April 17-18, 2022
Virtual 
$319

Creating Thriving Schools in Uncertain Times helps educators create stability in the classroom while students face an unstable world. It will explore the science and benefits of promoting purpose, restoring connections, supporting self-stories and cultivating curiosity that can lead to thriving schools and classrooms.

On Course National Conference
April 28-29, 2022
Early bird pricing: $595 (until April 4, 2022)
Regular pricing: $695
One day only (April 28 or April 29)
Early Bird Pricing: $395 (until April 4, 2022)
Regular Pricing: $495

This conference is all about celebrating student success. Educators come together virtually to collaborate and exchange ideas on how to improve the learning experience for students. Tips and techniques range from immediately usable instructional and counseling strategies to campus-wide programs that increase retention and student academic success.

NJEA Exceptional Children Conference 
April 30,  2022
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick 
Pricing TBD

This year’s conference theme is Creating Learning Environments for ALL Children and features keynote speaker LeKerick Horne. Diagnosed with a learning disability in the third grade, Horne is a spoken-word poet, advocate for all people with disabilities, an inspiring motivational speaker, and a bridge-builder between learners and leaders.

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