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Making the Most of InstCon26: Things Every First Timer Should Know

valentinesking

Picture it, InstructureCon 2018.
I was swiftly being whisked away by a golf cart shuttle, as my new pals gathered in a sunny field to take a picture with our friend, Beth. To this day, I regret not being a part of that picture. Pictures with the Panda - always a good time in the making!

InstCon18 - Steps For Beth group picture in Keystone, CO

Often there are great things that don’t make it into the official InstCon agenda. You find out about them after the fact and there’s that moment where you wished you had known about it in advance - you would have been there having fun, too!

Val's Top 7 Tips Every First-Timer Should Know

Participate in the Instructure Community InstCon26 area before the conference! Knock it out of the ballpark by getting to know a few friendly faces before you head to Louisville, Gateway to the South. Once you’re there and see a Community friend in passing, please go up to them and introduce yourself. We want to meet you.
Bling out your badge! Attach a sticker or something else a little special to make it stand out. It can be a cool conversation starter and a new friendship in the making.
Keep connected to online conversations using #InstCon26. As the conference gets closer, often vendors will share special limited-invite events. Additionally, if you’re the only person coming from your institution/district - follow the activity & meet-ups for #SoloPandas.
Take advantage of the InstCon Agenda and the mobile app once it becomes available (it will be announced, usually late May/June). Plan out your sessions in advance, but once there - play it by ear. Avoid filling every moment with a session, as you might want extra time in the Exhibit Hall or be available for informal networking conversations.
Dress for comfort and fun. Sometimes you might encounter inconsistent weather or over-confident AC units, so plan to bring a cardi or thin jacket. However, weather in Louisville for July 2026 is forecasted to be warm (average highs of 85-93 degrees; average lows of 66-74 degrees) and humid, with chances of afternoon thunderstorms. Given it's humid, keeping hydrated is key! Your shoes should be made for walking; you’ll be doing a lot of it between one awesome session to the next! Bring at least one pair of activewear because often there are opportunities for a workout in the making!
Break out your portable battery when needed, as you’ll likely be using your phone and laptop more than usual to capture all the awesomeness. Although, there will be charging stations available when you need a quick boost.
Attend the un-conference on Friday July 24, 8:30 am-1:30 pm! An unconference is a participant-driven meeting, where the agenda is co-created by attendees at the beginning of the event with a focus on small group discussions & networking. Created by you, for you and definitely a good time.

Want to be part of summer's best EdTech conference - InstCon26: Education in the Making; register now!

We Want to Hear from You - Share Your InstCon Top Tips!

Let’s collect some tidbits of info for our first-timer InstCon attendees, so no FOMO (fear of missing out). The goal is to build a real list from people who've actually been before, so 2026 first-timers can hit the ground running.

Let's goooo! Here’s a few ideas to get us started:

What did you bring (or wish you had brought)?
What’s one scheduling or logistics move that made your conference experience better?
What networking opportunity, session, or Instructure Community moment you didn’t see coming?

InstructureFam, drop your tip(s) in the comments. If you know someone who is going for the first time, tag them here so they get a head start!

Val King, the ID
The Wharton School - UPenn

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First Timer

Know Before You Go

Agenda

Comments

melodyc_lam

I made the mistake at my first INSTCon (Denver) to only bring a relatively small carryon — I tend to fly light and I'm used to more regional conferences where there are less vendors and consequently, less swag.

There is A LOT of swag and you will want to bring it back home/to your institution.

BethCrook

This photo is framed on my desk. ❤️ #steps4beth What an example of the incredible and one-of-a-kind community this is! And look at all of the amazing friendships that were formed from that walking journey!

My tip: of course, I have to share #SoloPanda 🐼. If you are traveling solo, you are NOT alone! I have been attending this conference alone since Keystone (2016? 17?). And started posting this hashtag to gather us together, for meals, before the conference, hack night, share transportation, or anytime.

BethCrook

Also, if you recognize anyone from the community, don't hesitate to say hello. They're incredibly friendly, and connecting with people is one of the best parts of InstructureCon.

Definitely check out Hack Night, even if you're not a programmer. Stop by Game Night too, even if you're not sure you'll play. It's all worth exploring. The connections and conversations you'll have are what make it so valuable (and fun)!

jsowalsk

Instructurecon is a place to network, connect, and be in the moment. Take it all in and bring a bag for all of the SWAG.

Chris

I've been to every InstructureCon since 2014. The conferences are always great, and it's ncie to see familiar faces every summer. A couple things I'd say for anyone who has never been to InstructureCon before (or even if you have).

Dress in whatever is comfortable for you. InstrutcureCon has always been a pretty relaxed feeling conference. Busdiness casual or even casual dress fits right in. You'll see a lot of attendees, myself included, wearing jeans and tshirts from previous InstructureCons. If you like to dress up all fancy, you can go for that too!
Don't be afraid to say hello to anyone! I am not usually a very outgoing person, but everyone at InstructureCon is friendly and welcoming.
If there isn't a session you are super interested in at a certain time, you can always roam the hallways or gathering spaces. Those times and spaces can be great to find people to network with in a less crowded space than meals and nighttime gatherings.

-Chris

valentinesking

Hey there @melodyc_lam

Thanks for sharing your awesome tip; a larger carryon or checked baggage is always helpful. Especially, if you go to the exhibit hall towards the end of the conference when vendors are trying to pack up! More for the team members back home.

Val

valentinesking

Hey there @jsowalsk

Hope you are doing well! I love the idea of being in the moment. There's always so many exciting things happening, it's easy to get caught up in getting ready for the "next" thing. One of the questions I love asking new folks I meet at InstCon is what are you working on at home that you are most proud or excited about. Looking forward to seeing you at the conference.

Val

DiannaDK

If you are traveling as part of a team or have friends attending as well, prepare a shared notes document! I am fortunate to be part of a pretty connected Canvas user group and we share notes to maximize our learning. The session selection is outstanding and it is likely that you'll encounter scheduling conflicts. Having this information to look back on is priceless! Indiana has our document ready to go and we'll share!

DiannaDK

Piggybacking on what Val and others have said - come prepared to make many new friends! The vibe of InstructureCon is so laid back and everyone I have met is so friendly. I know I'm looking forward to reconnecting with friends from around the country this summer!

james_whalley

I had to buy a box at UPS to check as my second item in order to get everything home last year.

james_whalley

If you are like me and horrible at keeping track of who you talked to about what, carry a little notebook or have a note open on your phone to keep track of who you talk to about what. I often look at the contacts I have collected after InstructureCon and then have to dig through my brain when trying to remember who I was going to follow up with on what I was following up about.

valentinesking

Thanks @james_whalley

Great tips on networking. If you are a LinkedIn user with it installed on your phone, you use the Scan QR code to connect with other users. I heard another tip of using you're phone's text shortcuts to create a custom message to quickly share with a new connection, which can give more context with new connections.

I love all these ideas; can't wait to see more!

valentinesking

Thanks @BethCrook - great tips!

I absolutely love Game Night. There are so many different types of games and everyone is so patient if you need to learn how to play. I'm old school with Uno, Scrabble, and Clue! Also, I love that often there are multiple events at the same time so it's easy to find an activity that fits your current vibe.

james_whalley

Agreed on loving the multiple choices. Though I like games, you'll more likely find me at Hack Night.

Hildi_Pardo

And if you're a "notes" person, like me, and forgot to bring notebook, you'll likely find one the the exhibit/vendor hall ;-)

Hildi_Pardo

I'm so looking forward to Instructurecon.

I've learned to come with my suitcase half empty so I have plenty of space for swag and goodies on the return.
I echo the "comfortable" clothes — lots of folks wear past year conference tshirts.
Comfortable shoes are a must as there is lots of walking. All the walking is good, too, to counterbalance all the meals and snacks ;-D
I love Hack Night — I've learned to come prepared with a list of two or three things I wish could be improved and share them there — If they can't fix it, they take the info back to engineers.
The Unconference is valuable as well — it's smaller, so it's easier to share and discuss and there are valuable topics you can go deeper into.
If you can, treat yourself by coming a day early — it's hard to travel and then hit the ground running all in the same day, plus it gives you a little time to explore the city.
Be on the lookout for sessions right in the vendor hall — some of those are very valuable as well.

Jeff_F

A few more: attend the events such as Hack night, unconference, etc. You may not be writing code, but you can help influence the designs of solutions, pick up great ideas, network, and help others~!