21st Century Learning #57: NEIT2007 Unconference Reflection

This week we had special guests Barbara Swanson, Associate Director for Professional Development for NYSAIS and Matt Lipstein, Director of Technology at Brooklyn Heights Montessori School. We discussed the unconference model at NEIT2007 and how the conference was received.

Next week, a discussion of social network between faculty and students. What's your take? Join us on December 5, 2007 at Noon EST, 5pm GMT.

2007-11-28 11:59:26 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Hey Folks.
2007-11-28 12:00:16 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: Congrats Maria! So nice to see you!
2007-11-28 12:02:17 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: I'm back
2007-11-28 12:03:04 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: yes, heard you better now, Matia
2007-11-28 12:03:12 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: hi Sam
2007-11-28 12:03:15 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: welcome
2007-11-28 12:03:18 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Hello Folks.
2007-11-28 12:03:23 [Message] samschalmanbergen -> EdTechTalk: hi arvind and all
2007-11-28 12:03:26 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: hello, alex
2007-11-28 12:04:24 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: hi buthaina
2007-11-28 12:04:42 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: The stream is live below, EdTechTalk A. We'll start the show in a minute
2007-11-28 12:05:16 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Cool. Two different shows going simultaneously.
2007-11-28 12:05:46 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: You know us JohnS, crazy like that - 2 shows at once
2007-11-28 12:06:06 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Sam, sometimes clicking on external links kicks you out of the chatroom
2007-11-28 12:06:15 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: You're only crazy if you're skyping in to the CM conference while doing 21st century learning
2007-11-28 12:06:45 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: is that a challenge JohnS?
2007-11-28 12:06:51 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: :)
2007-11-28 12:06:52 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: *grin*
2007-11-28 12:07:17 [Message] samschalmanbergen -> EdTechTalk: i just figured that out, should be good to go now
2007-11-28 12:08:17 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Greetings
2007-11-28 12:08:34 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: hi JasonR
2007-11-28 12:08:35 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Do you have problem with buy-in for the new tools, because you're not spending a lot of money on it?
2007-11-28 12:08:49 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: audio is live below on EdTechTalk A
2007-11-28 12:08:51 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Stream OK
2007-11-28 12:09:06 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: DURFF!
2007-11-28 12:09:18 [Message] Durff -> EdTechTalk: sound is good
2007-11-28 12:09:26 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: it is a great idea to avoid techy terms - technojargon is off-putting to those of us who are not so geeky
2007-11-28 12:09:32 [Message] Durff -> EdTechTalk: hey but i have to walk away now
2007-11-28 12:09:45 [Message] Durff -> EdTechTalk: figures
2007-11-28 12:09:45 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: http://nysais.org tech conference
2007-11-28 12:09:59 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: The wiki from the conference: http://neit.wikispaces.com
2007-11-28 12:10:25 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: ok, thanks, arvind...thanks, arvind
2007-11-28 12:10:32 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Hi mjmontagne
2007-11-28 12:10:50 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: This year our conference was an unconference. Using open space technology: http://unconference.net
2007-11-28 12:10:56 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Don't blame the tech guys. They have to be the bad guys to implement the policies that they don't write
2007-11-28 12:11:03 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Mjmontagne - we are live on EdTechTalkA below
2007-11-28 12:11:06 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: cheers from Milwaukee, WI
2007-11-28 12:11:27 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Exactly.
2007-11-28 12:11:34 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: It is when pedagogical decisions are left up to the technicians that I object to....
2007-11-28 12:11:36 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Kaliya Hamlin was our facilitator: http://www.identitywoman.net/
2007-11-28 12:11:37 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: Arvind: got it...I"m following
2007-11-28 12:11:41 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: (sorry for confusing everyone -- my comments are related to the ustream)
2007-11-28 12:11:50 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Right,Sharon.
2007-11-28 12:11:53 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: thanks for the twitter announcement about this...
2007-11-28 12:11:57 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: High tech vs low tech was a great combo during the unconference
2007-11-28 12:12:37 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: my motto - feed your techies! you want them on YOUR side! Show them the pedagogical advantages of online tools and environments and usually they will listen
2007-11-28 12:13:05 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Shot of our low-tech board to organize the tech unconference: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arvindgrover/2028861052/in/set-721576031821...
2007-11-28 12:13:09 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Wait, so JL is live on USTReam
2007-11-28 12:13:22 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: And this is live on ETT-A
2007-11-28 12:13:23 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Cool
2007-11-28 12:13:24 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: yes, Jason
2007-11-28 12:13:37 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: he is New Hampshire at a conference
2007-11-28 12:13:38 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Channels. Choices.
2007-11-28 12:13:46 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: yes, JarsonR
2007-11-28 12:13:46 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: blended learning rocks!
2007-11-28 12:13:53 [Action] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: decides to listen to both
2007-11-28 12:13:55 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: My chat room is being weird.
2007-11-28 12:13:56 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: :P
2007-11-28 12:14:11 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: oops, sorry, JasonR
2007-11-28 12:16:01 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Interesting point about the lack of promo materials available for approval
2007-11-28 12:16:44 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Jeff, teachers don't have the patience you do.
2007-11-28 12:16:57 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: You don't get much time to sell the reluctant adopters.
2007-11-28 12:17:09 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Don't a couple powerful personalities end up dominating the conversation though?
2007-11-28 12:17:57 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: again, conference wiki is here: http://neit.wikispaces.com
2007-11-28 12:17:59 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: What do wallflowers get out of unconferencing?
2007-11-28 12:18:17 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: welcome dleetn
2007-11-28 12:18:25 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: we're streaming live on EdTechTalk A below
2007-11-28 12:18:44 [Message] dleetn -> EdTechTalk: Thank you.
2007-11-28 12:18:53 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: jasonr: I think the unconference format allows the reserved personality the opportunity to back channel dialogue and process things and have conversation in other ways
2007-11-28 12:19:16 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: K. My first unconference comes up in Jan, so wondering what it's like
2007-11-28 12:19:45 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: I think the wallflowers can be a little more engaged than they might otherwise be...
2007-11-28 12:19:52 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: hey Matt, we're on EdTechTalk A below, welcome
2007-11-28 12:20:09 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: kind of like traditional classroom discussions, where 5 people tend to dominiate if a teacher allows it...
2007-11-28 12:20:13 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: That's my point. Some don't want to engage. Want to hug the wall. Passively participate.
2007-11-28 12:20:27 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: agreed.
2007-11-28 12:21:20 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Hi Folks.
2007-11-28 12:21:22 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: indeed, thanks for the points raised and the good conversation
2007-11-28 12:21:25 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Finally back.
2007-11-28 12:21:37 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Dog is dominating the convo
2007-11-28 12:21:38 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: love the dog!!
2007-11-28 12:21:40 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: You really are crazy, Jeff
2007-11-28 12:21:45 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: everyone should have one!!!
2007-11-28 12:21:51 [Message] sharonp -> EdTechTalk: Jeff, I very much wanted to see the pres on the virtual school - but when I click on the link to it, I get a bunch of code - here and at UStream..... any chance of redeeming that archive??
2007-11-28 12:23:03 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Matt is addressing the wallflower issue right now, great stuff
2007-11-28 12:23:12 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: we're on the front page of ustream
2007-11-28 12:23:18 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: listening to 21cl now
2007-11-28 12:23:39 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: going to change video tape and resume here soon
2007-11-28 12:23:56 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Great -- Jeff -- Do you need the stream?
2007-11-28 12:24:21 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: he's got it i think Alex
2007-11-28 12:24:22 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: the sream is npt working in my end..
2007-11-28 12:24:46 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: Conference are always like that. Can never go deep enough.
2007-11-28 12:24:48 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: The rules of the unconference: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arvindgrover/2028856958/in/set-721576031821...
2007-11-28 12:24:52 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: clicking on edtechtalk A taook me to a page with few lines of code
2007-11-28 12:25:12 [Message] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: THis is all very free-love retro, no?
2007-11-28 12:25:34 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: ustream works well, though
2007-11-28 12:25:44 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Matt just mentioned Al's building project. Pic here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21001214@N08/2040569463/
2007-11-28 12:25:53 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: buthaina -- I've seen that before --- firefox doe snot like the ie link.
2007-11-28 12:26:11 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: oh, is that it..ok, thanks, alex
2007-11-28 12:26:57 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: http://nycist.net has a lot of the aggregated content available from the unconference
2007-11-28 12:27:06 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: "If you're not having fun it's your own fault"
2007-11-28 12:27:12 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: - Barbara's dad
2007-11-28 12:27:34 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: alex what's that screen with another chat room you are it, and shown on the ustream screen now
2007-11-28 12:28:42 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Buthaina --- That's Jeff Lebow at his conference in NH, USA.
2007-11-28 12:28:56 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: "If it has buttons, it's my fault" -- me
2007-11-28 12:29:10 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: ha ha, great line JohnS
2007-11-28 12:29:47 [Action] JasonR -> EdTechTalk: has to check out. Thanks. Got a videoconfernece with Indiana.
2007-11-28 12:29:52 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: but it has your name, alex, right on the top of the chat room window with the java icon
2007-11-28 12:30:07 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: thanks for being here JasonR
2007-11-28 12:30:45 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: http://isenet.ning.com - a social network for independent school educators
2007-11-28 12:30:58 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: Demetri Orlando started that one.
2007-11-28 12:31:06 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: a lot of people joined after the NEIT2007 unconference
2007-11-28 12:31:43 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: students are involved now too
2007-11-28 12:31:52 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: which is cool
2007-11-28 12:32:35 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: hi, Debby..
2007-11-28 12:32:40 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: :)
2007-11-28 12:32:48 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: there are many groups, which gives it the chance to not get completely diluted.
2007-11-28 12:33:08 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Jeff: your mic is still open, just so you know
2007-11-28 12:33:14 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: ah yes
2007-11-28 12:33:20 [Message] dleetn -> EdTechTalk: hi buth
2007-11-28 12:33:31 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: only way to hear 21cl
2007-11-28 12:33:48 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: and let folks know there's more conversation coming
2007-11-28 12:33:54 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: Demetri Orlando does a lot of the heavy lifting at the school computing wiki and ISENET.ning.com. His blog here: http://www.4dmo.com/blog/blog.html
2007-11-28 12:33:58 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: I'm not afraid to fail.l... or look desparate :)
2007-11-28 12:34:13 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: np. Just wanted to make sure you knew.
2007-11-28 12:34:30 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: thanks
2007-11-28 12:34:43 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: you are a great role model, JL...
2007-11-28 12:35:11 [Message] alex.ragone -> EdTechTalk: @jl You are my inspiration!
2007-11-28 12:36:02 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: @jl You ARE OUR inspiration :)
2007-11-28 12:36:13 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: i heart JL
2007-11-28 12:36:59 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: we have 38 views on ustream
2007-11-28 12:37:04 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: WE hear JL :)
2007-11-28 12:37:05 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: nice!
2007-11-28 12:37:54 [Message] JL -> EdTechTalk: we hope to go back to live video from here soon
2007-11-28 12:40:45 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: Serious overreaction on the part of OEA
2007-11-28 12:41:07 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: They also recommend not emailing parents
2007-11-28 12:41:13 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: jeez
2007-11-28 12:42:51 [Message] mjmontagne -> EdTechTalk: bye-thanks-good conversation
2007-11-28 12:43:03 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: thanks for being here MJ
2007-11-28 12:43:10 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: bye MJ
2007-11-28 12:43:46 [Message] cbsiskin -> EdTechTalk: hi buth
2007-11-28 12:43:56 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: hi, claire :)
2007-11-28 12:44:01 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: hi Lisa, we are just closing up our broadcast!
2007-11-28 12:44:08 [Message] pedicini -> EdTechTalk: darn
2007-11-28 12:44:26 [Message] pedicini -> EdTechTalk: but hi
2007-11-28 12:44:40 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: hi, missed you at NEIT2007. hope you have been catching the notes on the wiki
2007-11-28 12:44:54 [Message] pedicini -> EdTechTalk: Yes. Was very soory not to be there.
2007-11-28 12:44:59 [Message] pedicini -> EdTechTalk: joined up and all that.
2007-11-28 12:46:18 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: strongly agree; Ss know more
2007-11-28 12:46:36 [Message] arvind -> EdTechTalk: thanks for being here everyone, gotta run!
2007-11-28 12:46:46 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: adminstrators and old fashion teachers are afraid of those Ss
2007-11-28 12:47:00 [Message] buthaina -> EdTechTalk: thanks, arvind
2007-11-28 12:48:47 [Message] JohnS -> EdTechTalk: It does look kind of cool.