I’m heading to FETC — here’s what I’m sharing
Next week I’ll be in Orlando for the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), and I’m kicking off 2026 with a burst of creativity, connection, and hands‑on learning. This conference always sparks new ideas for me, and this year, I’m thrilled to be presenting several sessions that blend my favorite things: playful creativity, global learning, and instructional design that actually works for real educators.
Here’s a look at what I’ll be sharing, plus the themes I’m most excited to explore and bring back to you.
🎙️ Live Podcast Appearance
XFactor Podcast: Monday, Jan 12 at 9:55 AM
Dan Ryder and I will be joining the XFactor team for a live conversation about creativity, instructional design, and the future of learning. I’ll share behind‑the‑scenes moments in next week’s recap.
🎲 Poster Session: Roll for Innovation: Harnessing AI, Game-Based Learning, and Design Thinking to Transform Assessment
Monday, Jan 12 at 2:00 PM (Expo Center Center Court Poster 2)
This session is all about using structured randomness, constraints, and game‑inspired prompts to unlock new ideas. It’s fast, fun, and intentionally messy—the kind of creative disruption that helps teams break out of ruts and see possibilities they didn’t know were there.
Dan Ryder and I will be sharing ways educators and teams can use structured randomness, prompts, and constraints to unlock new ideas — especially when they feel stuck or overwhelmed.
🕶️ Poster Session: Secret Identities, Shared Realities: Digital Comics for Inclusive Storytelling
Tuesday, Jan 13 at 11:30am (Expo Center Court Poster 15)
This session explores identity, agency, and the power of narrative in learning. Dan Ryder and I will explore with our audience how narrative, role‑play, and identity‑shifting can help learners build agency, confidence, and voice. When students (and adults!) “try on” different identities, they often discover strengths and perspectives they didn’t realize they had.
🌍 Leadership Roundtable: From Virtual Exchange to Immersive Learning: Transforming Global Engagement
Tuesday, Jan 13 at 11:30am (Expo: Leadership Round tables: Booth #1645)
I’m joining a group of leaders to talk about the future of global engagement—how virtual exchange, immersive technologies, and intentional design can help students connect across cultures in meaningful ways.
This roundtable brings together my State Department background and my current work in instructional design and facilitation. I can’t wait to share insights from this conversation with you.
✨ What I’m Most Excited About This Year at FETC
Beyond my own sessions, I’m looking forward to diving into themes that matter deeply to the educators, creators, and organizations I support:
🌟 AI‑enhanced instructional design
Not hype—but practical, ethical, human‑centered workflows that help educators save time and amplify their impact.
🌟 Creative tools that make learning more visual, accessible, and joyful
I’m always on the lookout for tools that help teachers design with clarity and playfulness.
🌟 Digital literacy and future‑ready skills
Frameworks that help students navigate a world full of information, technology, and global complexity.
🌟 Workflows that reduce burnout and increase momentum
Because educators deserve systems that support them, not drain them.
🌟 Immersive and global learning experiences
I’m especially excited to explore how schools are using immersive tools to expand students’ worldviews.
My goal is to bring back insights, tools, and strategies you can use right away — whether you’re designing curriculum, leading teams, writing a book, or building your own creative practice.
📥 Be One of the First 100 Subscribers
I’m getting ready to release my new Content Repurposing Map, a tool that helps you turn one idea into many without burning out.
I’m giving early access to the first 100 newsletter subscribers before it launches publicly.
If you want to be one of the first to get it, subscribe here:
https://forms.gle/a621LsXqnDGzaAB27
⭐ Where You Can Find Me In‑Person This Year
If you’ll be at any of these events, I’d love to connect, and if you see me, please say hi! I’m always excited to meet educators, creators, and leaders doing meaningful work.
You can also book an in‑person discovery call with me during any of these conferences. Just reach out and we’ll find a time that works. https://www.jacquiegardy.com/contact
📍 FETC — Orlando, FL
January 10–15, 2026
Poster sessions, leadership roundtable, and a live podcast appearance
📍 EduCON — Philadelphia, PA
January 30–Feb 1, 2026
Presenting: Leading Critical Creativity for Leadership & Change-Making
(If you’re within driving distance, this is one of the best small conferences out there — thoughtful, conversational, and full of incredible food and culture.)
📍 SXSW EDU — Austin, TX
March 2026
Attending sessions, meetups, and creative learning conversations
📍 ACES: The Society for Editing — Atlanta, GA
April 2026
Connecting with editors, writers, and publishing professionals
📍 ISTE Live 2026 — Orlando, FL
June 2026
Critical Creativity in Action: Building Critical Thinking Skills through Classroom Ecosystem Design (Poster Session)
Tabletop Thinking and Learning: A Game-Based ISTE Playground - We are exploring creativity, systems thinking, and game‑based learning in hands‑on, educator‑friendly formats—look for a CFP for presenters by March! Information will be posted on my LinkedIn and Facebook feeds in March.
📍 Additional Events Later in 2026
I’m planning to add more conferences to my calendar this year. Two that are high on my radar:
Games for Change Festival — a powerful gathering at the intersection of learning, storytelling, and game‑based impact
MassCUE — one of the strongest regional edtech conferences, especially for hands‑on tools, creativity, and educator‑driven innovation
More dates coming soon — and if you have recommendations, I’d love to hear them.
