Every year, TCEA brings together educators who are ready to look ahead and rethink what teaching can be in a rapidly changing world. As AI tools continue to reshape classrooms and expectations for student engagement evolve, the question isn’t whether teaching should change, but how we design learning experiences that remain meaningful, human, and effective.
Thankfully, that’s exactly where our work lives.
Across classrooms, coaching conversations, and professional learning spaces, we’ve seen a growing tension between flashy tools and purposeful practice. Gamification gets dismissed as gimmicky. Play gets mistaken for fluff. Assessment gets outsourced to algorithms. But when designed with intention, playful pedagogy becomes a powerful lever for deep learning, and AI becomes a tool to sharpen thinking, not replace it.
At TCEA 2026, we’re excited to dive into this work alongside Texas educators through three sessions designed to be practical, hands-on, and immediately useful. Whether you’re ready to move beyond low-yield review games, design assessments that truly reflect student thinking, or reclaim authentic play in an artificial age, we can’t wait to learn with you.
This year at TCEA 2026, we’ll be leading three sessions designed for educators who are ready to move beyond surface-level engagement and into purposeful, classroom-tested practice. Across a hands-on Learning Lab and two deep-dive sessions, we’ll explore how gamification, assessment, and play can evolve alongside AI… all without losing what makes learning human.
Each session is built to be practical, energetic, and immediately usable. Whether you’re looking for a full reset on how review and practice show up in your classroom, strategies for designing AI-proof assessments that value thinking over shortcuts, or a clearer vision for authentic play in an artificial age, we can’t wait to learn alongside you.
Here’s where you can find us throughout the conference.
There’s something about TCEA that just feels right. It’s big, bold, practical, and full of educators who aren’t afraid to try something new. This is a conference for people who want ideas they can actually use. You know. The sorts of ideas that work in real classrooms with real students.
We’re excited to bring three sessions to San Antonio and to spend time learning alongside Texas educators who care deeply about engagement, creativity, and doing right by kids. If you see us in the halls, between sessions, or out exploring the city after the conference day wraps up, say hello. Some of the best professional learning at TCEA happens over tacos, coffee, or a great conversation—and we’re always up for all three.
The activities featured in EMC² Learning presentations and workshops are just a handful of the 1,100+ resources available and on their way to arrive shortly in the EMC² Learning library. This entire library is available to all members with an active Engagement Engineer or Engagement Engineer PLUS account, and is included with your annual site membership. We hope you’ll consider joining us as an Engagement Engineer to unlock a full year of site access. For complete details including our exclusive limited time offer for annual site membership, click here.
