Monthly Archives: June 2008

First and Last NECC…perhaps

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I have spent the last hour mulling over all the posts and comments concerning the new ISTE policy that has magically appeared just days before the event.  I started to post a comment for Wes, but the more I wrote, the more I realized that I know nothing about the legal aspects of this issue, and I really am just reacting emotionally, yet I still feel the need to react.  So I’ll post over here where fewer people will notice my ignorance, and I can still vent freely before laying my head on the pillow tonight:) 

I must say that this is just another tick on the dog (as my grandpa would say).   I have had a wierd feeling about this conference for several reasons.  First, I do think that the cost went up this year because, according to a long time attendee friend of mine,  they added a mandatory ISTE membership into the cost of the conference… that seems a bit pushy to me, as I am not really a “joiner” by nature.  Second, although my BFF and I are co-presenting,  some of my other techie buds are not coming, and that makes this trip a bit less fun compared to our Winter trip to METC.  Third, several of my closest SL buds are not coming, and although I totally understand their reasons, it is also a sad thing.  Fourth, I had a bit of a meltdown over the unfathomable amount of information/opportunities surrounding NECC.   I resolved this anxiety in my own mind by reminding myself that I could spend the next year of my life listening to podcasts, or watching recorded ustreams and never run out of NECC 2008 sessions to absorb.  Well, I guess that is no longer the case! 

All that being said, I am starting to feel bad about the amount of money my school is spending to send me to this conference.  I am starting to feel bad about thinking that NECC was the conference to strive for.  I am starting to feel bad about how much this policy may set the precedent for other smaller conferences, opening the flood gates of restriction on this great vast pool of knowledge that I have only just discovered one year ago!!

I guess in some way I knew it would happen- I remember two years ago at METC I had a conversation with my BFF about how podcasting could really eliminate the bread and butter of some of the big conference circuit folks, but how cool was it that they were willing to share their ideas freely with all of us, for the sake of evolving education!  Those great people who fly all over, leave their families for days for the sake of sharing information, don’t seem worried about it!  For gosh sakes, I can go to David Warlick’s file drawers in Second Life and read everything he’s ever presented…who is ISTE to say that we can’t share knowledge!
OK, so here’s a couple questions that I had after reading posts and comments of others:

Sylvia Martinez said on Miguel’s post:

“This is not a new policy, so it’s a case of technology catching up and passing traditional ways of distributing information. Pretty ironic, eh?”

I know it’s not new to be thinking about this stuff, but it seems new for ISTE…This is my first NECC, but from what I read on the legal notice page of ISTE and the NECC2007 and NECC2008 sites, I see nothing like this policy.  In fact, on the media page there is no mention of it as far as I can see- would you not think that the media should know about this new policy?
Here is another comment from Sylvia:

“It also protects ISTE from copyright violations. People often present things that contain copyrighted material. Even if the presenter innocently gives broadcast permission, is ISTE still liable?”

That seems to be covered under the current ISTE legal notices, so I don’t think this has anything to do with why they added this policy.  I really think that the whole unplugged schedule of events has shaken them, and they realize that we can and will make our own decisions about the relevance of the content that is being shared, and how we choose to share it.  I think they have seen the potential of future unconferences, and they are showing their fear of the unknown by trying to control it.  All I can say is…yeah…good luck with that.

So I guess after hearing so much great stuff about the connections at NECC2007, and being so excited to come to NECC2008, all of these “ticks” have sucked the life right out of me.  I must admit that there is still a little newbie part of me that is really psyched, and can’t wait to see it all.  Then there’s the rebel blogger side of me that wants to be there just so I can SHARE SHARE SHARE and stick my tongue out at all of the ISTE people who tell me that I can’t do that! 

I am sure I will meet great people, and I will learn huge amounts, but it just doesn’t seem as great an adventure as it did a year ago.  Perhaps next year I’ll ask for a ticket to Philly instead.

Professional Development Meme

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My friend Jen Wagner tagged me, and since I have really been taking a mental break since school ended, I thought my brain might need a wake up call, and this is just the ticket!

So — first, here are the rules:

1. Pick 3 professional development goals and commit to achieving them this summer.
2. For the purposes of this activity the end of summer will be Labor Day (09/01/08).
3. Post the above directions along with your 3 goals on your blog.
4. Title your post Professional Development Meme and link back/trackback to http://clifmims.com/blog/archives/353.
5. Use the following tag/ keyword/ category on your post: pdmeme.
6. Tag 8 others to participate in the meme.
7. Achieve your goals and “develop professionally.”
8. Commit to sharing your results on your blog during early or mid-September.

I have a lot of things rolling around in my head this summer, which is not unusual for me.  I tend to bite off more than I can chew, and then never really get where I want to be by the end of the summer, so I am hoping this meme will also help me prioritize my ideas, decide what is reasonable, and accomplish those high priority items.  As you can see, I have managed to narrow it down to 5 things, so if you have any thoughts about priority…bring it! 

1. I want to totally re-invent my website because although it is very functional for my students, it is not “teacher friendly” as far as sharing resources is concerned.  I always struggle with making this a priority because I don’t think it will have any direct impact on my classroom.  I also tend to spend endless hours dinking around with graphics, the ultimate time sucking activity for me.  If you have a minute, go and look critically at my site, and let me know how it could be a better resource for you in terms of finding what you might be able to use.  Don’t pull any punches, I really want to know what other teachers think.

2. I want to take a critical look at how I use technology with my students.  I need to find a balance between “student centering” and “teacher planned. ”  I am torn between my own need to be ready for next year, and my evolution in thinking that I should be more reactive to my students, and how they react to the introduction of a topic.  I sometimes get these huge pangs of guilt, like I am using “student centered” as a reason to shoot from the hip perhaps more than I should.  I sometimes get this funny picture in my head of me sitting at my desk, with a tiny little Karl, Clay, David, (or whoever happens to have my head spinning today) on one shoulder, and a tiny little Madeline on the other.  I need to resolve this battle in my own mind, and strike some sort of balance between the many voices in my head!  I am not sure exactly how I am going to accomplish this one, so I welcome any suggestions or insight you all might have!  FYI- medication is not an option 🙂

3.  I want to make information literacy a priority next year.  My idea is to make some little commoncraft type videos for younger students, to introduce the basic building blocks of information literacy.  In order to do that, I need to better solidify my own understanding, read, research, play with my video camera, and have a plan for how I will integrate this project into my classroom.

4.  Decide what I want to do when I grow up:  I have 25 graduate hours in several areas, including gifted education, technology, and literacy.  I could have my masters in gifted by the end of next year, but have no desire to be a gifted teacher- I tried that, didn’t suit me.  I could have my masters in technology by the end of next year, but I dread the thought of drudging my way through outdated material and taking the fun out of what I do with technology right now!  BUT, I need to decide, and get on with it…why?..well, because I am getting old…and because my school would pay for it….and because I can’t move any further on the pay scale until I get my masters….and because I would like to do some teaching on the college level, and don’t think I can do that without a masters.  So, by Labor Day, I will decide what I want to do when I grow up!

5.  I want to submit to present at some conferences, on my own.  I have presented on my own before, but this past year I collaborated with some other teachers from my district.  I enjoyed that very much, and it was less stressful for sure to have another person standing up there with me, but I feel like it is time to step out on my own again and challenge myself. This goal will require me to give some serious thought to my topics, and get my submissions in before deadline.

OK- help me narrow it down to 3 folks!  🙂

Now to tag 8: (I don’t think any of you have been tagged already)
1.  DeAnna Sheets
2.  Kim Good
3.  Cindy Matzat
4.  James Larimore
5.  Marianne Malmstrom
6.  Julie Fessenden
7.  Rob Jacklin
8.  Christian Long

Do You Know What You Know?

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I spent some time this morning running errands, and had time to reflect on a skype conversation I had last night with a few online friends.  We talked about several things, but one thing stuck in my head.  I must tell you that in this company of people, I always feel welcome, but can’t believe how much they know about tech compared to me! I always leave the conversation with a new idea, or a new understanding of something.  So it shocked me last night when someone said ” I don’t have anything to teach, but I have a lot to learn.”  Now, I am not going to mention names, but let me tell you, this person has already taught me so much!  How can she think she has nothing to teach?  Is she being humble, or does she truly not see how much we all learn from her?!  

Do you think that most of us feel we know less than the others?   I still mentally say to myself before every conference deadline,  ” I am sure everyone knows this already, so I don’t know why I think I have any business presenting it.”  Then I go to the conference, and most times there are some people who want to learn about what I am doing.  I just find it funny that people who I learn from all the time have that same thought of not having anything new to teach.  In a way, I like it, because when you enter into a converation online, you may not have a clue who it is you are really talking to, but you are sharing ideas, learning from each other.  It could be someone who has been doing ed tech for years, or it could be someone who is just beginning.  Either way, I learn.  If you have been in this for a long time, chances are I would be too chicken to walk up and have a conversation with you face to face, but I will sure chat with your avatar in SL!  Even if you have just begun to explore the world of ed tech, I can learn from you!  You see things with fresh eyes, ask questions that make me re-think how I do things.  Maybe you know what you know, or maybe you don’t.  I just think that the next time you hesitate to comment on a blog, or chat on a ustream, you should remember that no matter where you are in your ed tech journey, someone can learn from you!  Step up!  Speak! Be heard!

What I Want From NECC

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Tanner, my son,  and I have similar personalities I think.  We are both outgoing and like to be around other people, most of the time.  Sometimes, though, he gets overwhelmed by the amount of chaos and chatter, and just disappears for awhile.  One year I remember we were opening Christmas presents, and there was alot of noise and people and stuff, and I looked around to see if he was soaking in this moment, and he was gone.  I found him in a back bedroom, hiding under a small table.  He was not sad or upset, he just needed a quiet place to escape.  There was just too much going on, and he took the time to step back and re-group.  Wise child, that son of mine.

So, why do I start a post about NECC with this story?  Well, I have had a surprising reaction to my upcoming trip to NECC, and I have been “hiding under the table” for a few weeks trying to re-group.  I am usually so excited in the weeks before a big conference.  I have been looking forward to meeting people face to face for the first time, hearing people present for the first time, continuing to make connections with people, learning new things that I can come back and share with my students.  I am usually driving people crazy by now because all I can talk about is my trip to (insert event here).    I don’t know why it is not that way for me right now. 

I am, perhaps, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and choices that are available.  I want to get online and finalize my schedule, but there are too many things that I want to see, and they all happen at the same time.  Then you factor in the unplugged events, leave a bit of time for bloggers cafe, and next thing you know I am headed back under the table again!  I have appreciated reading others thoughts about how to “do” NECC.  I have resisted signing up for some things like the twitter dinner, simply because I don’t want to schedule my entire time and feel obligated to be somewhere.  I almost feel like I have skipped a step in my evolution as a learner.  I wish I was going into NECC a bit less connected.  I wish I wasn’t aware of all of these events that I so want to attend.  I feel like perhaps I would enjoy NECC more if I knew less at this point.  I just want to wander around, soak it all in, and not wonder about who is at bloggers cafe, or what dinner I am missing.  Is that wrong?  I am sure by the time NECC rolls around, I will have this all settled in my own mind, and be totally excited and ready for whatever NECC has to offer- so look for me, say hello..but… if you can’t find me, start looking under the tables:)