5 Reasons to Attend the WCET 2026 Annual Conference

By Betsy Piland

Schedules are busy. Budgets are tight. Getting approval to attend a conference can take some serious hoop-jumping! But we’re here to make it worthwhile.

If you work in higher ed digital learning, here are five reasons to register now for WCET 2026 in Minneapolis, Oct. 14-16.

1. Connect With Your Community IRL

It’s time to step away from campus and into a room with your peers from institutions across the country. From large online-only institutions to small-but-critical community colleges, alongside C-suite leaders and first-time attendees, these are your people! Together, you’ll share the challenges you’re wrestling with, swap the fixes that actually worked, and walk away with a network you’ll still be leaning on long after the last session ends.

2. A Stacked Lineup of 100+ Expert Speakers

More than 100 speakers will take the stage, offering their perspectives on the latest topics in edtech and digital learning. A few sessions we’re especially looking forward to:

• Narratives That Matter: Communicating the True Value of Digital Learning, with Tanya Joosten (National Research Center for Distance Education and Technological Advancements) and Devon Kodzis (Dallas College), moderated by your truly!
• Ask the Expert: Have a burning question or need expert advice? Get 1:1 guidance from members of the WCET community.
• Other Duties as Assigned: When the COLO Role Expands for Institutional Impact, with Luke Dowden (Alamo Colleges District), Gloria Niles (University of Hawai’i System), and Tina Parscal (Colorado Community College System).
• And, a crowd favorite, the WCET Dinner Dialogues! Join a group of colleagues for good conversation and food.

3. Minneapolis is the Midwest at its Best

Mid-October is peak fall color season in Minnesota, so you’ll catch the city glowing gold and red. After leaf-peeping, be sure to get dinner in this great food town.

And perhaps you’ve heard of an artist named Prince? You can now tour Paisley Park, his private home and studio. Either arrive early or stay late to make a trip of it!

4. More Sessions, Not More Cash

Yes, WCET preconference workshops are free! Schedule your travel so that you’re ready to dive in first thing Wednesday, Oct. 14. Your registration includes free admission to a day of hands-on working sessions:

• Catalyzing AI Literacies Development: Too often, building AI literacy falls to one person tackling problems on their own, with no plan for how to pass along what they learn. Based on WCET’s AI Literacies in Practice Playbook, this is a must-attend for faculty, instructional designers, and administrators.
• Making Accessibility Defensible: What to Document and Why: Accessibility is an ongoing student-centered commitment. Dig into the evidence institutions rely on (VPATs, procurement records, workflows, remediation and compliance plans, etc.) and how to fold it into the daily work of making digital learning accessible.
• Mature or Maturing? How to Evaluate Your Institution’s Online Learning Quality: Using WCET’s Online Learning Quality Toolkit and Rubric, this interactive session walks through the four dimensions of quality with a facilitation guide and real case studies to help you benchmark where you stand and identify where to grow. (Note: This session is for WCET members only.)

5. Stay Ahead of the Policy Curve

Regulatory ground is shifting—state authorization, accessibility compliance, and constantly changing federal regulations, and more—so don’t miss your chance to learn practitioner-level guidance on what’s changing and what to do about it (before it lands on your desk).

Ready to Join Us?

Three days of practical ideas, candid conversations, new connections, and a community that understands the work you do. That’s what WCET 2026 is all about.

There’s one more reason to register sooner rather than later: The next registration price increase is Sept. 3. Lock in the lower rate, make your case to your supervisor, book your trip to Minneapolis, and get ready to spend Oct. 14-16 with your WCET community. We’ll see you in Minneapolis!