EDspaces 2019 Breaks Attendance Records

Attendee registration at EDspaces 2019 in Milwaukee, WI, was up 16% over the prior year as school and college decision makers and influencers gathered to collaborate on building the best learning environments. Attendees dove deeply into current challenges as they worked to transform education giving all students the chance to succeed through a variety of educational offerings including plenary sessions, interactive classroom designs, and tours. 

A total of 168 exhibitors in 603 10′ x 10′ spaces with many of them donating thousands of pounds and a wide variety of classroom items. Donated goods were collected by representatives from the Brown Deer School District and distributed to schools in Milwaukee.

“For 24 years, EDspaces exhibitors have contributed truck-loads of innovative classroom to local communities. This year it will be one of the largest due to major growth in the past four years of the event. We’re looking forward to an even greater contribution in 2020, when we take EDspaces to Charlotte, North Carolina,” says Jim McGarry, EDmarket President and CEO.

Participating exhibitors donated items to ensure local schools are outfitted with brand new products including furniture, seating, desks, USB embedded furniture, and more, giving the donated product(s) from their booths, interactive classrooms, and displays at the conference’s conclusion. 

EDspaces classrooms serve as vehicles for experimentation, with sessions taking place in classrooms designed by top architects, designers, and space planners. This provides attendees first-hand experience of modern pedagogical approaches in planning, design, and products and are a unique extension of learning for participants. It is the only event featuring six innovative classroom designs, inspiring attendees and exemplifying the future of educational facilities. Each is developed to accommodate a wide variety of presentations, demonstrating learning areas for students of various ages, as well as a comfortable space for adult learners.

Other program elements included a pre-conference Learning Lab, STEM Innovation Tour on Tuesday that kicked off the event. The lab explored how school districts of diverse backgrounds promote STEM and STEAM learner-centered education in spaces where students experiment, make, hack, and learn as they transform ideas into products and solutions.

Visionary keynoter Tony Wagner, a globally-recognized voice in education and author of Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for The Innovation Era presented at the plenary session. He discussed why innovation is today’s most essential real-world skill, and one that can ensure this generation’s economic future.

Expeditionary learning occurred on three distinct tours, two focused on the K-12 environment and one showcasing higher education spaces, with educationally-rich site visits featuring sustainability, creative design, and innovative interiors. Local sites included the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences and the Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex (KIRC), as well as Brown Deer Middle/High School, Franklin High School, and more. Every tour included an educational component in a variety of learning environments, and each qualifies for AIA LU/HSW credit.

Mark your calendars for EDspaces 2020: November 11-13 in Charlotte, NC.  www.ed-spaces.com

Adrienne Dayton

Adrienne is Vice President of Communications & Education at the Education Market Association (EDmarket). She is responsible for strategic planning for content creation and management for all EDmarket publications and education programs. Want to share your expertise with the community of thought leaders in the education space? Let's start a conversation.

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