2026 Great Ideas in Education Conference: Full Schedule

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9:30am CDT

Introducing the Computer Science Toolkit

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Presenters will guide participants through the newly published toolkit titled "Understanding the Standards" including tips for unpacking the CS standards, working to align topics within the standards within a course as well as with other disciplines, and vertically aligning computer science instruction across multiple grade levels. Specific case examples from Kindergarten through secondary grades will be presented, and participants will have time to ask questions related to their own practices.

Speakers

Stephen King

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Maple 205

Computer Science

11:05am CDT

Stat Smart Onlline: Social Media, Social Engineering & AI

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:05am - 12:05pm CDT

Cypress A 209

Today's students live, learn, and connect online, and smart habits make all the difference. Ins this engaging session, learners explore the good of social media and AI alongside the real-world risks: oversharing, cyberbullying, scams, deepfakes, and misleading content. Through relatable examples and interactive scenarios, sthudents practice essential skills: protecting privacy, spotting phishing and social engineering tricks, creating strong passwords with MFA, and applying a simple critical-thinking checklist before sharing or believing sensational posts. Deisgned for grades 3 -12 and aligned with digital citizenship outcomes, this presentation empowers tudents to think before they share, verify suprising content, and keep themselves and their friends safe online.

Speakers

Ryan Kurtenbach

IT Director, Kansas State Department of Education

I am the IT Director for the Kansas Department of Education, with an extensive educational background that includes degrees in Network Technology, Computer Information Systems, Information Resource Studies, and a Master of Business Administration.

I bring over twenty-six years of experience in Information Technology, with more than twenty years focused on Cybersecurity. My expertise spans multiple industries, including education, government, medical, financial, and energy sectors. I’ve had the opportunity to deliver numerous... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:05am - 12:05pm CDT
Cypress A 209

Computer Science

11:05am CDT

Teaching Cybersecurity in the High School

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:05am - 12:05pm CDT

Maple 205

Cybersecurity has been a hot topic in the business world for years, and during this time a range of choices has become available for teaching the concepts to high school students interested in careers in information technology as well as students heading into other career paths. This session will present some options available, outline the differences among the three state course codes, and discuss best practices for working through the technical challenges associated with teaching cybersecurity within a secure environment alongside your school's information technology team.

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:05am - 12:05pm CDT
Maple 205

Computer Science

3:55pm CDT

Computational Thinking in Grades K-5: The Skillset for the 21st Century

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:55pm - 4:55pm CDT

Maple 205

Twenty years ago Carnegie Mellon professor Jeannette Wing argued that computational thinking is a fundamental skill for all students in all disciplines. Grades K-5 are ideal for incorporating the four pillars of computational thinking (decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms) into courses to teach critical thinking, creativity, and logical reasoning, and to foster creativity and build resilience. This session will define the four pillars and give practical examples of integration into some typical lesson plans.

Speakers

Stephen King

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:55pm - 4:55pm CDT
Maple 205

Computer Science

2026 Great Ideas in Education Conference

9:30am CDT

Stephen King

11:05am CDT

Ryan Kurtenbach

11:05am CDT

3:55pm CDT

Stephen King

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