I had a wonderful time at the ACTEM Conference in Maine this week. I got to see many of my Maine Tweeps, including Alice Barr, Bob Sprankle, Cheryl Oakes, Michael Richards, Mike Arsenault, Sarah Sutter, and Maria Knee (who is actually from New Hampshire) face to face. I met Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach in person for the first time. I also attended Geek of the Week and learned about a lot of new tools including the Big Huge Labs which I used to make this badge.
I love this badge idea. When I go to conferences I want to see the people I know online in real life, but often they don't recognize me and I don't recognize them. Wouldn't it be fun if we all created badges with our avatars and/or profile photos so that people can connect our online identities with our real life selves. I have seen people do this with their second life avatars, and I think it is a great idea. Look for me and my new badge at the Christa McAuliffe conference in New Hampshire, the MassCUE conference in Massachusetts and the Educon 2.1 conference in Pennsylvania. Please don't be shy, say hello if you recognize me. I was so excited to add Page Lennig, Sharon Betts and Cathy Wolinsky to my face to face network this week.
Sheryl's keynote was wonderful. I have never seen her in person and she has such a great energy and puts things so well. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"Social and intellectual capital are the new economic values in the world economy."I went up and said hello and she actually knew who I was. That was really cool.
"We need to go from mandated accountability to mutual accountability."
"What are you doing to prepare your students to be Googled?"
"Don't change your teaching - change the way you learn. Become a networked learner, so you can own it and give it away."
My own sessions (I did the same one twice) titled, "Making Things Happen, Tapping in to the Power of the Network," were attended by just a few people, but they seemed to go well. I tried to engage people in some goal setting exercises and then show them how to use a personal learning network to help them achieve their goals. I included some visualizations, some writing and some talking. It really wasn't about the technology, but more about the network. I always feel that we need more structured ways to meet each other face to face at these conferences. I tried to do that in my session. I'll be doing it again in New Hampshire. Here is a link to my slideshow from the conference.
Overall I had a wonderful time. Thanks to everyone for being so gracious and so welcoming!
8 comments:
Hi Liz, I listened to Sheryl's keynote through Bob's 'Bit by Bit' podcast. I have to hear it a few times I think in order to process it all fully. I love your idea of online identity photos on badges and will check out your slide show at a calmer moment. Hope to see you again in person soon. Peace, Lorraine
Liz, YOU are someone I want to see at a conference someday! I've shared your slideshow and badge ideas with TESOL planners, with Twitter. And I agree with you wholeheartedly about the powerful benefit (the positive spiral of social networks: ↔ contribution ↔ reciprocity ↔ accumulation ↔ value ↔ contribution ↔ (and on and on) that comes with linking face-to-face connections and 'online' connections.
Thank you for your valuable contributions. I have learned a few tricks, a few great quotes, and lots of inspiration from you already; I look forward to learning more!
holly
AKA "smilin7" [smiling 7 days a week, or trying to]
and AKA "blogblossoms"
Charlottesville VA
I agree with Holly- you were someone I wanted to meet. I am so appreciative of your kind words and that you are in my network.
SNB
Thank you for sharing about the ACTEM Conference! So wonderful to be able to "virtually" attend conferences through the eyes and ears of colleagues. Just went through your slideshow and completely "got" your message, Liz. Clever use of images - good information! I appreciate you!
Liz, so glad that you were able to be in Maine. We enjoyed the conversations. I will be viewing your presentation too , since I was presenting when you were. You can check my presentation at http://writingtools4all.pbwiki.com
See you at Christa.
I wish I had been able to attend your session. I really enjoyed checking it out at Google Docs!
There definitely is so much power in "the network"! And when we reach out to one another across the network we can learn so much! Thanks for posting this. :-)
WOW--wish I could have come. I have been nominated to be pres elect for SCASL, which means I would be in charge of planning our annual conference should I be elected. I don't even know if I want this, but I do already know I want Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach for our keynote should I have to decide. Sigh. Jealousy abounds. Guess I will have to settle for virtual brushes with edtech greats!
Awesome post title Liz.
This is exactly how you and I met.
I'm hoping more and more people will join the online network and then introduce themselves when given the opportunity.
Thanks for sharing your slides!
Lisa
P.S. Cathy Nelson - You ARE an "Edtech Great"!!
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