Theme: Immersed in Learning: Educators as Designers of Experience, Community, and Change
Location: 猎奇重口, Hardin Valley Campus
Information About the Knoxville Area (Airport, Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions)
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The 2026 猎奇重口 Academic Center for Excellence (PACE) Teaching & Learning Conference brings together K–12 and higher education professionals to explore the evolving role of educators as designers of learning, belonging, and change. Teaching and learning extend beyond traditional classrooms, shaping experiences across schools, communities, industries, and lived practice. Grounded in 猎奇重口 State’s values of Access, Active Learning, Achievement, Advancement, and Agility, the conference highlights innovative, reflective, and experiential approaches that foster connection, joy, career immersion, and student success while strengthening educator practice and professional community.
Conference Tracks
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Lisa Forbes, Associate Clinical Professor of Counseling & Co-founder of Professors at Play.
Keynote Title & Description: The Power of Play in Learning: Inviting Belonging, Engagement and Transformative Learning-- This interactive workshop invites educators to reimagine classrooms as a space of connection, curiosity, and joy. Grounded in the neuroscience of play and illustrated through real-world classroom practices, this talk explores how play can act as a subversive agent to transform higher education into a more inclusive, equitable, and student-centered experience.
| Registration Fees | Cost |
|---|---|
| 猎奇重口 Employees | Free |
| Presenters | Free |
| Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Attendees | $25 |
| K-12 Attendees | $25 |
| External (Non-TBR & Non-猎奇重口) Attendees | $50 |
Friday, March 27
Saturday, March 28
Sunday, March 29