Founding Editor of Maker Media, Dale Dougherty, delivered a powerful presentation on the growing Maker movement at SXSWedu this year. Dougherty's presentation emphasized the value of informal education and the potential impact on tomorrow's students. Watch his 2013 Distinguished Speaker presentation now!

Superintendent Maria Carstarphen joined SXSWedu 2013 as a Distinguished Speaker. In her attention grabbing presentation, she addressed the changing face of public education from today's learners to tomorrow's leaders.

Assistant Deputy Secretary at the US Department of Education, Jim Shelton, stressed the need for today’s education revolution to succeed in a special Distinguished Speaker presentation at SXSWedu 2013.

In his thoughtful presentation, Shelton recognizes that the reality of the learning and research agenda of today is often “fragmented, disorganized and is not designed to drive towards tremendously different outcomes." He offers a solution to overcoming some of our grandest challenges.

Senior Education Evangelist at Google, Jaime Casap, delivered a Distinguished Speaker presentation at SXSWedu in March challenging attendees to thinking about the relationship with children and the web. His thought-provoking presentation examined how the web is central to new learning models that will help educators and students discover, collaborate, create, and transform what learning will look like for generations to come. Watch Jaime Casap's presentation now.

Former NBA player and Founder of the Carver Academy, David Robinson joined the 2013 SXSWedu Conference & Festival as a Distinguished Speaker. In an engaging presentation he shared how he teamed up with IDEA Public Schools to transform public school options for low-income students throughout Texas.

SXSWedu was proud to feature a number of compelling presentations from top thought leaders from across the learning landscape this March in Austin, Texas.

The Distinguished Speakers at this year's event led engaging presentations surrounding themes on the present and the future of teaching and learning. All of the Distinguished Speaker presentations from this year's SXSWedu Conference & Festival are now available to watch online. Visit the SXSWedu Vimeo channel to watch all of the 2013 Distinguished Speakers and Keynotes now!

Co-Founder and Executive Director of CK-12 Foundation, Neeru Khosla, will join SXSWedu on Tuesday, March 5 in a special Distinguished Speaker session.

Mrs. Khosla is an advocate for free customizable and personalized content and materials for learners and teachers. She will be addressing personalization of digital content and the use of multiple modalities in concept-based learning to transform the learning experience in her presentation Not Another Zombie Idea: Customizable, Open Digital Content Transforming Learning.

SXSWedu is pleased to announced the final four Distinguished Speakers for the 2013 Conference & Festival. Founder and Chairman of The Carver Academy David Robinson, Texas Commissioner of Education Michael Williams, Co-Founder and Executive Director of CK-12 Foundation Neeru Khosla and Director of Education for U.S. Programs with the MacArthur Foundation Constance Yowell will each present a special spotlight presentation March 4-7 in Austin, Texas.

David Robinson

David Robinson

Known by National Basketball Association fans as “The Admiral,” David Robinson is the founder and chairman of The Carver Academy. Considered the single largest gift ever made by a professional athlete, the Robinsons donated more than $9 million to create the project benefiting many low-income, at-risk students.

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Darline RoblesProfessor of Clinical Education at the University of Southern California, Darline Robles, will join SXSWedu on Wednesday, March 6 in a spotlight Distinguished Speaker session.

Closing the achievement gap is Dr. Robles’ highest priority. She is acclaimed as a state leader in implementing the Williams legislation—a landmark law enacted in 2004 to promote educational equity—through monitoring of 600 low-performing schools annually to ensure all students have access to textbooks, safe and clean facilities, and qualified teachers.

As the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, Jim Shelton manages a portfolio that includes most of the Department's competitive programs including i3, Promise Neighborhoods, and others focused on teacher and leader quality, school choice and learning technology.

Previously, he served as a Program Director for Education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, managing portfolios ranging from 2 to 3 billion dollars in non-profit investments targeting increased high school and college graduation rates. Shelton has been the East Coast lead for NewSchools Venture Fund, and co-founded LearnNow, a school management company that later was acquired.