SXSW Edu — Spring 2023 Reflection from Eliza
This semester, I had the opportunity to help facilitate a Design Jam with Wish for WASH at SXSW EDU 2023. As this was my first time even attending a conference like this, the concept of facilitating a workshop at one was both exciting and a little nerve racking. Our facilitator team initially practiced the workshop at Georgia Tech to gauge where changes needed to be made and to even out any kinks. We were appreciative for the help as feedback from the rest of the W4W team was critical to making this Design Jam great, which is another reminder of the importance of seeking feedback early and often in any project.
During the conference, I facilitated about ⅓ of the Design Jam and gained confidence in my public speaking skills through this opportunity to present in a professional setting. I also attended other sessions about topics that I wanted to better understand like game-based learning, design-based learning, and current developments in the structure of higher education. It was interesting to learn more about growth and innovation in the education industry, as well as how these events operate and how to make the most of the time there. Though I was a bit nervous initially and did not know exactly what to expect at this conference, I had a great experience and would continue to jump at opportunities such as this one to learn, network, and share the work we do. — Eliza
