(From Steve Hargadon on the SupportBlogging Google Group)
Calling all educational bloggers! After the EduBlog MeetUp in San Diego last year at NECC, there was some feeling that more time for interaction between the educational bloggers would be of great value…and so…announcing EduBloggerCon 2007. While the exact date and details of EduBloggerCon 2007 are not finalized, it will likely be for one day before NECC 2007 begins–Friday, June 22 or Saturday, June 23, being good candidates. We may wait until the NECC pre-conference materials are published so we don’t conflict with something important.
We want your ideas and suggestions. Right now we are leaning toward an “unconference” format, with some number of actual pre-determined keynotes. Go to the EduBloggerCon website, and also join the Google Group for EduBloggerCon to start giving feedback.
Topics for discussion: final date(s), publicity, youth bloggers invited?, keynote speakers wanted, format for “unconference,” venue, activities, etc.
(More info coming soon…)
technorati tags:edubloggercon07, blogging, education
webcasting?
I will be coming. I would be very much for the unconference format. I guess that would make it an “unformat”. Not just talking heads handing down info from podiums on high. I think that we need to mimic how people actually learn–messily and from the ground up with other people at their side. I would advise looking into something like OpenSpaces as a guideline.
I’m not a big blog writer, but do read them often, and I’m a big reader/fan of yours.
I hope you consider the possibility of the “echo chamber” effect — For example, why the term “unconference” (discussion, round table, colloquium, meeting or even conference would all do). I really think this will insulate and alienate.
Are you trying to develop a strong community of edu bloggers or reflect on how blogging can be used substantively in education. Why not take a page from the graphic novel industry–invite (or at least encourage) people from a variety of backgrounds, even skeptics (they are not all Luddites, some have valuable perspectives and original ideas). This can really enhance and flesh out some important ideas on blogging.
I don’t want to sound like a cynic, but I went to several presentations about blogging (at NECC and NCTE) and I get the feeling I’m watching a late night infomercial.
Blogging is here in education and I see you and others reflecting on it (and complaining about vacuous uses) but it might be helpful to look at ways to bring reflective blogging into a larger conversation.