Tuesday, October 14, 2008

ISTE Sets a Great Example

NECC 2008I just received a mass email from Lelie Conery, the Deputy CEO of ISTE, and the NECC Conference Chair. She's inviting participation in a dialog about ISTE's fair-use guidelines, specifically as they relate to pod- and vod-casting at NECC.

As many might remember, ISTE ran smack dab into the historical confluence of formal conferences versus audience streaming last year, and initially responded as almost all other large organizations would have: prohibiting any audio or video recording without express written permission from both the presenter and from ISTE. To their great credit, they heard the (clamoring) voices of the community and changed their policy--setting a great example for both the new policy and having the community help you get there.

Leslie has started a promised additional discussion on this policy to get more community input and feedback. You can see this discussion, along with the original and revised policies, at the NECC Ning network. Right now is the start of the open comment period, with draft guidelines coming out in December, and then final guidelines in January.

The ISTE support we get for Open Source Pavilion, EduBloggerCon, and NECC "Unplugged" already predisposes me to appreciate them for being able to try to benefit the community while dealing with the practical realities of running a large conference and the institutional demands that brings. Working with the community to form an appropriate media policy is another example, for me, of the kind of transparency and collaboration that the educational world needs.

Way to go, ISTE.

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