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!