Excellenct Music Session and stuff

I was wrong. The one and only one music session was quite good. They brought in a great presenter, and it was attended by some top music software people. I learned about some online music software that will fill a need immediately AND it is designed to integrate with Moodle!

Had a great time talking and eating through the thunderstorm last night at the restaurant formerly run by Jack Abramoff. Good bonding with folks we would otherwise not get to know.

Planning for 2010

I agree with Gabe. Next year's group should do more planning to get in on the best presentations. (You know, do it during the Spring tri when we have lots of time!) Still, I do think we're missing out.

The Robert Siegel led debate on the relevance of brick and mortar schools was interesting. The most powerfully articulate participant, Gary Stager (http://www.stager.org/) actually argued persuasively for the irrelevance of the posed question, ("Are Brick and Mortar schools detrimental to the future of education?") by focusing on creating inspired learning environments no matter where they are. He was superb, but caused his team to loose ground. (That was fun!) We should make contact with this guy!

The second most powerful debater was a young man entering 11th grade next fall. He was given the rebuttal and spoke without notes with passion about the foundational value of relationships, (of all things) and that these only happen in brick and mortar places.

Sadly there are fewer music related topics and vendors this year.

Robotics

I went to a paid session on Monday regarding the use of Lego’s Mindstorms. I was really directed at younger kids (the model which the presenters used was for 5th graders), but I saw some serious potential for crossover into the middle school. The basic model they used required maybe a week to introduce the basics of motion and sensors, and aspects of programming. The programming interface has lots of similarities to Scratch and is pretty easy to teach and to pick up on. The problem solving needed to make a simple robot excecute simple motions is not overwhelming, but it’s still good. And there are undoubtedly kids who will quickly master the basic and run on to ideas I can’t even think of.
I wonder if this could fit into the middle school math/science curriculum somewhere? Thoughts? Roger Murray? Tamre? Where do we teach Scratch in the middle school?
I happened upon this website which provides a fantastic model for robotics in the middle school. http://inside.catlin.edu/site/msrobotics/
They participate in FIRST FLL in the fall, but have a much more open spring session which gives kids a chance to get the core skills and play. Lots of good ideas, including a Girls Only Day.
I talked to the LEGO reps in the exhibit hall about some resources for mechanical motion. I feel like I need help from someone like Bill to teach my robotics kids the basics of motion (simple machines, complex lever systems).

Next Year

We've had a couple thoughts for future attendees. First, as much as the low key attitude toward preparation helps reduce stress, it also means we may miss out on some opportunities. There was an all day session on Sunday that i didn't get to, which i might have.

Second, seems like the concurrent sessions are hit or miss. Some are excellent and very worth it. Others are not as stellar. At my robotics sessions yesterday, the lady next to me mentioned that she ONLY goes to paid sessions at conferences like this or CUE. There may be some validity to that statement; after all the quality is probably consistently higher. Pete and I are going to a session this evening on the "tech science classroom".

An interesting thought/paradox. The new model for teaching incorporates hugely more collaborative, informal communications. In some ways, NECC models this well. A lot of communication happens outside the sessions, and those people who use the conference to network and connect with peers with whom they collobarate using the web gain a LOT. On the other hand, attending some of the traditional sessions is a little like going to a school which is not using Web 2.0. I would love to see more of the presentations modeling the teaching methodologies they extol, rather than using powerpoint after powerpoint!

Voki --oh the possibilities...

Mark said...
Most memorable moment so far was the Gabe led power-walk to the Lincoln Memorial. On the way came upon the "new" WWII memorial. Absolutely stunning design, awe inspiring especially when lit at dusk by twilight and carefully placed lamps.A fitting tribute to those who gave their lives for a vision of a better world.
Sunday, we spent hours planning a strategy for the picking from the 600 presentations. Then attending the keynote address by "Blink" and "Outliers" author, Malcolm Gladwell.
He combined research and circumstantial evidence to promote the value of failing to the educational process. Something we believe in at SAAS already, but made me think about how we could use a more elegant and constructive language for the value of failure, i.e. we cannot say, "We want kids to fail."...
A good presentation, but MG oversimplified the highly complex issue of good learning environments. He used the long, bumpy, failure filled road to success of Fleetwood Mac as his model. (They did not get recognition until their 16th album.)
June 28, 2009 8:13 PM

TechShare!

From my first slide:
Education for the future has left the harbour and is already on the open seas. Some educators are still clinging to the belief that the ship hasn't left and are invested in business as usual. Some educators are enjoying the freedom of the open seas .... excited about the foreign ports and places they will visit '
Renata and Geoffrey Caine

Hello from sunny.....Welches, Oregon at TechShare. We are currently dissecting frogs on the smartboard! I'll share my 'voicethread' on Global Education with y'all when we plan for the faculty!

Francoise, Sandra, Greg and I are all working hard! Greg has already repaired the wireless access point. Larry drove us all down in a very packed van, complete with coffee boxes and travelling treats! Kathryn will be down this evening. I'll post my 'Montage' and VoiceThread on our Moodle.

What have you discovered? How are the freebe's? Are you using the Delicious account? How are the first time people doing? Take pictures.

I'll tap into the on-line events in DC. I'll get Sandra, Francoise and Greg to send you some comments on the blog. We'll upload some pictures too!

Have fun! Play!

Vicki

Washington, DC

The DC-7 have arrived!

Awestruck by the splendor of our nation's capitol. Sunset adds a special something to the architectural monuments of democracy...

Weather: 84 degrees and sultry. On our way to the Phoenix Park Hotel, we passed by the Convention Center, which looked both substantial and empty, thereby achieving weird paradox.

Not a NECC-er in sight, though Rebecca's brother, who lives around the corner, reports a guy walking around the C-center with a sign promising "the world's largest cellphone." We all agreed it sounded ridiculously counter-intuitive, small being the only real benefit of the cell. But who knows? Big might be the new Small this year.

At the moment (9:57 EST), we are mostly delirious from travel and the thrill of it all... so it's early to bed and up at dawn's early light for Day #1.

So far, we are wondering (in a comical way) who will be our Vicki this trip. Are we a body without a head or a genuine collective?? Personally, I vote Gabe or Mark. Gabe for taking the initiative; Mark for having the credit card.

We'll see what my peers say. Twende!