June 8 - 9, 2021
Regency Convention Center, O'Fallon, IL

with optional Administrator Academy June 7, 2021
Twitter: #DConf19 @DirectionsConf1
Facebook & Instagram: @DirectionsConference
Registration opens late 2020  Early bird rate through April 30, 2021.
Group Rates for 5+ people.

Themes for 2021

TECH TUESDAY is all about gamification, the future of tech and teaching, Google magic, and more. Each of the four presenters will give a keynote to the group, and then present a breakout session.
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​WELLNESS WEDNESDAY will cover teacher happiness, student happiness, and strategies to maintain physical and emotional health.  Jason Kotecki will keynote in the morning followed by a whole menu of breakout sessions by practicing educators. (Want in on the presenting action?  Check out our Call for Proposals, coming soon!)

2021 Keynote Speakers

More Speaker Info
 Michael Matera - Tuesday Keynote
​"Immersive Learning: Building Gamified Experiences That Captivate, Inspire and Engage Students".   Michael plays with his 6th grade social studies students in Wisconsin focusing on Play, Passion, and Purpose.  He is the author of Explore Like a Pirate: Gamification and Game-Inspired Course Design to Engage, Enrich, and Elevate Your Learners. 
Jason Kotecki - Wednesday Keynote
​"#Notarule: The Art of Winning at Life by Breaking Rules That Don’t Exist".  Jason is the co-founder of Escape Adulthood.  He has a history of Scorekeeping Little League games, Washing cars for a GM dealership, Drawing a sports panel cartoon, Teaching college art history, Newspaper ad layout designer; and Creating web sites (oh, and making the illustrations for this year's website - thanks, Jason!)
Eric Curts - Tuesday Featured Speaker
​"The Bionic Educator".  Eric is a tech integration specialist from Ohio, where he oversees Google Apps for Education implementation.  He is the mastermind behind the popular edtech website Ctrl+Alt+Achieve.  He's been featured on podcasts and has spoken at conferences across the US and abroad.  His keynote session will explore how augmented reality and other new technologies are affecting education, and how you can be the best tech-infused educator (the answer will surprise you!).
Julie Smith - Tuesday Featured Speaker
​"26 Things Educators Need to Know About Social Media".  Julie teaches in the School of Communication at Webster University in St Louis and is the author of “Master the Media: How Teaching Media Literacy Can Save our Plugged-in World” In her keynote, she'll give a fun, fast and balanced approach to the digital world that our students are navigating. 
Adam Moreno - Tuesday Featured Speaker
​"Purpose-Driven Learning: Exploring the Purpose of Our Teaching".  As a drama educator, theatre director, counselor, and coach, Adam has developed a vast understanding of creative and engaging teaching and learning, both within the classroom and beyond the walls of the school.  His session will focus on inspiring enthusiasm and strengthening kids' ability to remain focused and confident. 
This annual Directions Conference has a simple goal:  to provide the best national presenters for the most current and effective educational experience. The Directions Conference is not about theory, but instead focuses on practical applications for achieving results.  Breakout sessions from area Master Educators.

12 hours of Illinois Professional Development Hours available
​CEUs available for Social Workers

Hosted by the Illinois Area 5 Regional Offices of Education

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Julie Wollerman, Regional Superintendent
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Michelle Mueller, Regional Superintendent
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Robert Werden, Regional Superintendent
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Kelton Davis, Regional Superintendent
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Susan Sarfaty, Regional Superintendent