tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post6960359783821908167..comments2024-03-23T12:05:15.956-04:00Comments on Steve Hargadon: Grading NECC 2009Steve Hargadonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776685502090744803noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-68580709134154298202009-07-09T20:08:23.359-04:002009-07-09T20:08:23.359-04:00Thanks for all of your effort Steve. I attended E...Thanks for all of your effort Steve. I attended EduBloggerCon and NECC for the first time and was not disappointed. Another suggestion: maybe volunteers who like to hang out at the Bloggers Cafe can have one of those big signs (like the Ask Me ones) that say "Welcome" and introduce folks in the cafe or direct folks to NECC Unplugged. These greeters would make newbies feel welcomed and included. I'm glad I made the effort to introduce myself around the cafe - it certainly enhanced my whole experience. We could sign up for shifts on a wiki.Colette Cassinellihttp://www.edtechvision.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-11299424664318826892009-07-09T12:47:04.925-04:002009-07-09T12:47:04.925-04:00@Sue: it was great to meet you, and the story of ...@Sue: it was great to meet you, and the story of your ad-hoc presentation is moving to the realm of legend... :)<br /><br />@Beth: Internet connectivity is key, and is increasingly a nightmare issue for conference organizers. Besides being expensive, when it goes down it's a disaster now. It's a good point to have a backup system for the Bloggers' Cafe that is approved by ISTE. I love the idea of a Bloggers Cafe Twitter account. There was one for NECC Unplugged, but we didn't utilize it well... So many things to organize without an organizational body--not sure if we formalize or leave informal... which goes the the question of reserving a block of hotel rooms. I'm not sure we'd want the trade-offs that would come from being that organized and needing funding... ?<br /><br />@Kevin: thanks for the appropriate shout-outs!<br /><br />@Jen: all of your suggestions are great, but they get to one of the real dilemmas of these events. In the weeks/months running up to NECC, I held organizing events and solicited help for running them, and the truth is that people are really busy and it's hard to get their bandwidth or attention. And volunteer committees for free events end up having a very hard time actually having stuff get done. So I'm personally trying to figure out how there could be a broader organizational effort on what we are doing that would be effective. A full-time organizer would be great but I think I'd almost prefer the inadequacies of our existing methods to the financial and/or sponsorship requirements involved in paying someone...<br /><br />@CStanley: Thanks, and yes, the audio is key!<br /><br />@Linda: good perspective, both on the experience of a newbie and the names. Thanks! <br /><br />@Lillian: Hurrah! Glad to "meet" you again. And I'm glad you felt the panel discussion was a good session for you. Your story about not attending EduBloggerCon confirms one of my fears. I spent some time last night after our meeting thinking about some kind of name or branding that would tie all these events together, and maybe even asking ISTE for a page in the program that told about them. After considering all kinds of names, I actually came back to "Classroom 2.0" and wondered if we co-branded each event as a "Classsroom 2.0 Event" would they tie together better and feel more open. Thoughts?Steve Hargadonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776685502090744803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-43627486418950246092009-07-08T23:40:36.455-04:002009-07-08T23:40:36.455-04:00Steve, although I am the push-backer from the Web ...Steve, although I am the push-backer from the Web 2.0 Panel (Yes, the girl in the blue shirt and white sweater) I have to give the session an 'A' also. I learned new technologies in most of the sessions I attended (I also attended your LearnCentral.org session), but none of them, other than the Web 2.0 Panel, really made me think from so many different perspectives. I am a huge Web 2.0 user. My fear is the push for everything is overwhelming to me, the learner, not the adult. I wonder how much learning our students really get when overloaded by all the technology available. This session was the most thought provoking session I had attended at NECC. <br /><br />I drifted to your blog after participating in your webinar about the EducBloggerCon. I just happened to stay in the webinar after attending the Math 2.0 webinar. I would agree with you that a name change might be needed. I was invited to attend the EduBlogerCon, by someone I had met on the way to DC, but declined the invitation, because I don't blog (in fact, this is my first post to a blog). Had I known about the Web 2.0 aspect of the event, I would have accepted the invitation.Lillian Hritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10771566054702199451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-64515445082538665232009-07-07T22:33:41.676-04:002009-07-07T22:33:41.676-04:00Ok, that was a long post, but I am compelled to ma...Ok, that was a long post, but I am compelled to make a couple of comments from the perspective of a veteran conference-goer who was new to NECC.<br /><br />1) On the comments about trying to make EduBlogger and Blogger’s café attract more newcomers – remember that NECC is hugely overwhelming to a first- (and I suspect even a second-) timer. You mentioned that some people now get the most out of the networking opportunities at the conference, but as I first-timer, I just needed to get my feet wet and figure out the lay of the land. I noticed all of those events, and did not feel excluded from them at all, but there was too much else to do and I had to start at the beginning. (and… I like the names they have now better than the more-encompassing, and therefore less-snazzy alternatives)<br /><br />2) I think LearnCentral did a bang up job, but I wish I had won the raffle.<br /><br />3) I’m excited to hear that you used the Pedi-Cab. They operate out of my alley – Blagden Alley, which is adjacent to the convention center. As I walked by on my way to the conference each day, I scolded them for not being more visible at the doors to the convention center to take folks to restaurants or out for tours. Glad you had a chance to enjoy the monuments by night!Linda Bastiani Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493831678958283380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-49763055135066829162009-07-07T22:11:10.500-04:002009-07-07T22:11:10.500-04:00Thanks for your assessment of all the different as...Thanks for your assessment of all the different aspects of the conference. It helped me better understand what was going on in the larger context. I attended some sessions virtually, and some were more satisfying than others. Making sure the audio is clear on the stream would be helpful. Still, it was exciting to feel like I was a participant even though I was sitting in front of my laptop at home. Thanks again for all the hard work.<br />CStanleyMrs. Stanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951021864343703361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-27940140628328821962009-07-07T14:34:06.428-04:002009-07-07T14:34:06.428-04:00From the outside -- looking in:
Steve,
I was abl...From the outside -- looking in:<br /><br />Steve, <br />I was able to attend Edublogger Con, NECC Unplugged, and NECC virtually this year -- and would almost 100% agree with your grades.<br /><br />Edublogger Con opened was opened to me via TinyChat/Skype via Mark Wagner (who I owe a BIG thanks too!) <br /><br />I was disappointed that the only ustream available that first hour was the smackdown -- and highly recommend that that become the last (and only final session) of Edublogger Con -- a wrap up per se?) Anyway -- just an idea.<br /><br />I would suggest for next year's blogger con that you get SKYPE & TINY CHAT buddies who are physically at the conference and will make the effort to bring others in virtually.<br /><br />Mark was willing -- and so for the first session on Prof Dev, I think we had up to 12 in the chat.<br />He also brought me in for the "Lets create a tool" and I believe for school reform.<br /><br />I also attended several NECC UNplugged. Kim Caise deserves a medal of honor!!<br /><br />The only thing I did not like was for one entire session we only heard music and not the speaker. I don't know if it was her websites or background music....but all in all, I truly enjoyed Necc Unplugged.<br /><br />Now on to my agrees and disagrees.<br /><br />The Web 2.0 Panel really needed to have been streamed. The backchannel became distorted, off topic, and then trying to summarize quickly what was going on. I am wondering the true benefits of a backchannel without a front channel as well.<br /><br />And for the blogger's cafe. I was not there, I cannot say without second hand information.....but I do agree with you. It needs to open more -- and changing the name might just do that. <br /><br />Or how about assigning a MEET AND GREET time. Like, if people are dying to meet Will, Dave, David, Vicki, etc -- have them sign up for assigned times to mingle. Though I think the unknowns are just as important as the knowns, some people really want to brush up with people they have respected for so long. But again, just a thought.<br /><br />Anyway -- you did well.....and I honestly have to say -- without your vision and your openness -- I doubt I would have been able to virtually attend as much as I was able.<br /><br />Thank you<br />Jen WJen Whttp://www.jenuinetech.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-81051612541860278112009-07-07T12:13:03.783-04:002009-07-07T12:13:03.783-04:00I'm glad the Ubuntu DC LoCo and Sugar Labs DC ...I'm glad the <a href="http://launchpad.net/~dcteam/" rel="nofollow">Ubuntu DC LoCo</a> and <a href="http://olpclearningclub.org/" rel="nofollow">Sugar Labs DC</a> were able to participate. We met a lot of good people and, hopefully, were able to guide them on their journeys into Open Source. Due to a fluke in shipping, Benoit's CD's never made it to the conference, but fortunately, the DC LoCo team had a good supply. All told, I think about 200 CD's were distributed.Kevin Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03655289975588226490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-34620342649790356512009-07-07T08:35:36.198-04:002009-07-07T08:35:36.198-04:00Steve,
I am looking forward to attending the wrap ...Steve,<br />I am looking forward to attending the wrap up session on Saturday. There were some discussions going on during the last couple hours of the conference and I would like to briefly share what was said. <br /><br />First, the Internet coverage in the Bloggers' Cafe was terrible. I knew that might be a problem so I tried to connect using my Blackberry as a modem. This did not work because I could not get a strong signal. It seemed like we were in a hole in that particular area. Joe Corbett (@isteconnects) was kind enough to provide a modem for me so the bloggers could get a connection in the cafe, but it was removed by one of the major sponsors as soon as it was discovered that it was connected to their equipment and it was never returned. Forgive me if my tech terms are not correct, but why can't ISTE provide several clouds specifically for the Bloggers'Cafe? It is essential to have reliable coverage in the cafe so it needs to be physically be located in an area where incoming signals are not obstructed. <br /><br />I liked how EBC and NECC Unplugged were separated yet adjacent to one another. The one thing that was absent this year were the group discussions that took place last year. I led one on internet safety, but it was a little difficult to arrange everyone so we could talk. I would agree with Sue. It needed to be a little larger and it needed more seating. The physical arrangement of the seating is important as well. (Also need to figure out how to run in more outlets. This was not a problem in San Antonio, but it was in DC.)In a perfect world we would have yet a third area which would need to be the size of a conference room where discussions could be scheduled much like demonstrations are scheduled for NECC Unplugged. I announced my session and ended up getting an insane number of RT's which told me people were interested. A separate "Bloggers' Cafe" Twitter account could be created for to keep people informed of what is going on. (I would LOVE to volunteer to do this!) <br /><br /><br />I looked forward to attending my first Edubloggercon all year and I was not disappointed. It seemed like it was one of the top highlights of the conference for nearly everyone who attended. Literally the last conversation that took place in the Bloggers' Cafe as the crews were taking down all of the equipment was focused on how to continue the conversations that start on Saturday. Someone mentioned possibly making EBC and overnight event. I preferred the suggestion that EBC reserve a block of rooms just like the state affiliates do. Staying in one location would allow those conversations to continue all week. It would also allow like-minded people to find others to room with to help cut down on expenses.BethStillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17587864629271709058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18676377.post-51331013194638964952009-07-06T15:33:02.652-04:002009-07-06T15:33:02.652-04:00Steve, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you, yo...Steve, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you, your daughter Kate and Peggy George. I really enjoyed NECC unplugged and my session on the last day was my most fun. <br /><br />That last session for me is the most memorable as I walked up to your daughter and said when am I presenting (thinking I had an hour to go) and she said right now. Laughing about it as I had nothing planned as such I suddenly did this spontaneous session on blogging and grabbed other bloggers to join me e.g. Richard Bryne, Donelle O'Brien, Cathy Nelson and yourself. Working closely with the chat in Elluminate and the f2f audience we engage in conversation on blogging and hopefully answered most their questions. I'm hoping that you have it as a separate recording as I would love to blog about it (as would Richard and Donelle).<br /><br />I would have to say it was the most fun I've ever had presenting. <br /><br />Being loud enough at NECC unplugged was challenging however fortunately I'm noisy so it worked okay for me. Not sure of a good solution though.<br /><br />This was my first time at Bloggers Cafe. I'm not sure that I agree with your assessment. Probably the biggest problem was there wasn't enough space and maybe the word Bloggers makes people think they mightn't belong? Perhaps if it had more room it would be more welcoming.Sue Watershttp://theedublogger.edublogs.org/noreply@blogger.com