If you’ve just attended Coming Up: How did a couple of veteran classroom teachers end up in a space like this? with Barbara Ganley and Barbara Sawhill, then you might be interested in joining them for a continuing discussion via a Skypecast.

From their blog:

“When the Elluminate session is over, and after a short beverage break, please join us for a follow up conversation on Skype. We will be joined by graduate students from the University of Connecticut’s Department of Modern & Classical Languages. The blog for their course is here. We will be talking about integrating social software into the teaching of languages and cultures and all that good stuff from 9:45-10:30 EST. (click here to check the time in your area)”

[Image: Isaac Mao]

Coming Up: e-Show n Tell

 8pm – 9:30pm

The unconference session is often the bit I find most entertaining…. but for those who haven’t engaged in one before, I thought I’d share some info!

So what is an unconference?

An unconference is a conference where the content of the sessions is driven and created by the participants, generally day-by-day during the course of the event, rather than by a single organizer, or small group of organizers, in advance. To date, the term is primarily in use in the geek community. Unconference processes like Open Space Technology, however, have been around for over 20 years in other contexts, for example in Future studies as Future workshops. There are also parallels with science-fiction fandom, in which a low-key convention with less structure, not focusing on professionals and guests of honor, is called a Relaxacon.

Open Space Technology is an energizing and emergent way to organize an agenda for a conference. Those coming to the event can post on a wiki ahead of time topics they want to present about or hope others will present about. The wiki can also be used to share who is coming because it is the attendees who have a passion to share that contribute to the event and will make it great.

(From Wikipedia)

The e-Show n Tell 2007 Unconference

This session will run in accordance with principles of Open Space and Unconferencing:

• Whoever comes are the right people.
• Whatever we talk about are the right topics
• The Law of Two Feet: if at any time you find that you are neither learning nor contributing – you are free to use your two feet (metaphorically speaking) and leave.

In general, this will be an informal conference session, and probably include discussion of issues arising from the events of day 1 and 2, but topics will be set by those who turn up.

Please join Michael and Frankie for some or all of this session and see what evolves…

A great demo of a new tool for educators interested in using Social e-Learning Strategies.

Check it out @ http://clitest.oten.tafensw.edu.au/s_elearning/

[slideshare id=159172&doc=updated-everything-old-is-new-againor-is-it-1194492991831966-3&w=425]

Thanks Janine – Nice Job!

Janine Bowes has shared her top 10 tips from the keynote session today. Thanks Janine!! Compare her list with yours! Do you have anything to add?

1. Be a lifelong learner – formally, informally and incidentally.
2. Be intergenerational in your professional life– look for opportunities to work and learn with colleagues at the opposite end of the age spectrum – both have much to contribute to the other
3. Keep expanding your digital world-view by trying new things, playing, reading widely, experimenting. Do this in your personal and professional lives and remember that a little bit often is usually better than occasional binges.
4. Periodically take an online course or other e-learning event to put yourself in the learner’s seat. Sometimes choose subject areas outside your usual domain. Do the course with two purposes in mind – the new knowledge or skills you acquire and reflection on the process. Sometimes you learn most from the worst experiences!
5. When thinking about using technology for learning, always ask “what does this add to the learning or what new possibilities does it open up?”
6. Add to your e-learning repertoire over time – with tools and processes. Approach this like a musician – practice makes perfect and observing others’ performance interpretations helps.
7. Think “genres of tool” rather than individual tools – understand the commonalities. Focus on the core function rather than peripheral features
8. Play with many new tools but be considered in adding to your repertoire – add them to your main repertoire only when you have played, achieved mastery and have a clear idea about what learning benefit is offered.
9. Stay up to date with a balanced diet that contains lots of variety – people and networks are the key eg actively participate in at least 2 online networks directly relevant to your core business, subscribe to regular news feeds, some blogs, read books!
10. Share what you learn by contributing back to networks, writing publicly – you will reap the rewards many times over.

Janine Bowes
jbowes.edublogs.org