Lone Star Edubloggercon

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Comment by Joseph Chmielewski 21 minutes ago

I keep writing for Lone Star EduBloggerCon's planning group, then posting elsewhere because I believe that my comments might be too controversial for TCEA.

Yesterday, my comments focused upon Innovation and Conservatism.

My article, "TCEA: How much Conservatism? How much Innovation?" focused upon the kind of vision that we must have to turn the less-than-stellar technology integration movement around.

My article today, "What should we call a teacher-focused Unconference?" evolved from my research into the history of the "Unconference." and developed from my discovery of the reason that "EduBloggerCon" has such a "teacher-disincentivizing, turn-off" name.

Maybe this explains the reasons that some Lone Star EduBloggerCon volunteers seem reluctant to market to teachers, and seem reluctant to expect a large turnout.

I know that this explains my motivation for calling the program an "Unconference."

Perhaps, we can survey teachers during the conference, and develop a more teacher-friendly name for the second year.

In addition, after a day and a half, my ad has shown 389 times (and there were even two clicks!) at a cost of $0.10. Of course, these ads were designed to test the number of Google searches, and to minimize the number of clicks,

Here is what the ads look like.

Comment by Joseph Chmielewski 1 day ago

What about running surveys from this site to discover teacher needs?

Here's one...

Take a one-item Texas Teacher Technology Integration survey

Comment by Joseph Chmielewski on November 18, 2009 at 9:54am

Janice:

Which items do volunteers that facilitate programs for EduBloggerCon not have time for?

* Developing Web 2.0 presentations with community support?

* Professional project management for staging the Unconference?

* Something else?

Comment by Janice Friesen on November 18, 2009 at 8:03am

Joseph,

We are all WAY too busy to do the types of things that you are suggesting. TCEA can do them because they have a paid staff of full time people. Also, I think it would go against the idea of the day to have programmed registration and content...

Thanks for the challenge to put something on the wiki. I will make that a priority over the Holiday (after my smoked turkey)

Respectfully,

Janice

p.s. I seem to have two accounts here with two different pictures.... Ning is confusing to me sometimes. Both of those are me...

Comment by Janice Friesen on November 18, 2009 at 7:58am

Joseph,

This is a response to your first note (3 hours ago?!.... do you sleep:-)!?) and then I am going to read the second one...

I was really just kidding about being stuck in Austin! I can see the benefit of the conference being in different locations. This is a huge state and there is a lot we can learn from each other.

Mainly I want to say relax.... this is the first time that this is being attempted here and so I hope you will just come and learn and we can learn from you. Like Scott said, it is possible that there will only be 10 people there this time. That is OK. We do need to publicize it, but it will nto at all be a failure if only a few people make it. We can decide then where it should go from here. Hopefully we will have an amazing time nd then there will be something to tell admins so that more people can get the permission to attend next year.

Janice

Comment by Joseph Chmielewski on November 18, 2009 at 7:23am

Scott:

Great that you are adding to the discussion!

First:

This means we are free to use TCEA Data and offer workshops with names and a content-focus identical to the TCEA workshops that fill quickly. Only, we produce and share those topics in a different (some would say better), Unconference way.

I am sure that you are an expert in any number of those "hot" topics. What are you planning on sharing?

When are you going to add your contribution to the Wiki of proposed topics?

When are the rest of planning group members going to fill out the Wiki schedule with their contributions?

Who will bump my suggestions with better topics that they have to share?

Second:

The TCEA Registration process seems to require payment of $180 to register for the free Lone Star EduBloggerCon program as though it was a" workshop." This seems to be the only option for registering. (You can't get to it if you choose the "Exhibits Only" option.

How can we implement a second registration process to assure folks that they do not have to register for the TCEA conference in order to attend Lone Star EduBloggerCon?

Seems like we would either need to...

* Get TCEA to change their Website to promote Lone Star EduBloggerCon's conference
* Develop a parallel registration process that registers attendees who can't afford the $180

Who has the expertise to build an alternative registration system if TCEA is unable to provide a useful alternative that promotes Lone Star EduBloggerCon?

Third:

Quote: "...this event does take some planning to pull off, it does not take the volume of planning..."

Quote: "...monitor attendees who had not found the wiki yet..."

To me the issue is that a limited planning and development effort seems to be underway, or if planning and development are underway, then not all members of the planning group are privy to the progress of those efforts and discussions.

And, some volunteers for the planning group might be out of their comfort zone with a "the Unconference will take care of itself" strategy because they are conditioned to a planning process that involves...

* Feasibility studies
* Project phases
* Identified deliverables
* Change orders
* Statements of work
* Timelines
* Task precedence
* Work breakdown structures
* Resource delegation
* Task delegation
* Documentation
* Contingency plans
* Acceptance criteria

Crucial to program planning is a definition of what the project "is," and what the project "is not."

Fourth:

Quote: "make personal connections about what they do so passionately"

Some volunteers are busy, and a "pet passion," while nice, fails to rise to the level of, "I can afford to devote time to it."

To me, an "Unconference" means providing a professional program with Web 2.0 support methods; i.e., with a structure conducive to sharing. To me, this means...

* Pre-session resources posted online
* Interactive, community sharing during the presentation
* Post-session resources and community follow-up support

To me, an Unconference is a professional event, rather than an ad hoc, "let's see who comes to shoot the breeze about our pet passions."

To me, an Unconference concentrates on topics that reflect the wants and needs of attendees, rather than what the organizers want to talk about.

We prime the program by offering sessions and solutions based upon research into the attendee's major pains, worries, stresses and challenges; and discover what attendees believe will help them the most.

I believe that program organizers are their to help and support teachers, not to meet new people and chat about their hobbies and avocations.

Fifth:

Quote: "...monitor attendees who had not found the wiki yet..."

What strategies is Lone Star EduBloggerCon using to maximize the number of potential attendees who find the Wiki?

This Ning site is on Page Two of Google search results for the term "TCEA."

My Blog post for this Ning shows up on page two for the search term "TCEA Conference," but Lone Star EduBloggerCon isn't included on any of the first five pages.

I noticed that the Open Source folks took the initiative to post that event, but Lone Star EduBloggerCon overlooked this advertising resource. So I posted the event. "Free - Lone Star EduBloggerCon : A Professional Community 'Unconference'" now shows on the front page of the Ning under TCEA's listing.

Sixth:

Who is tracking the Lone Star EduBloggerCon Wiki?

I noticed that the instructions stated, "Open session times in red." But the times were not listed in red, leading to the conclusion that there are no open times. I edited the page so that all time slots are listed in red.

Seventh:

How do we get the word out to teachers who want to attend, but don't know that our Unconference is planned?

I created a test ad to see just what searches are conducted on Google. I created a form for an Unconference Newsletter so that the search system would function, but the important number is the number of times that the ad is shown. (Note: the ad only runs on the search network in Texas.

Here are the search terms:

[tcea]
"tcea"
[tcea 2010]
[attend tcea austin]
[2010 tcea conference]
[2010 tcea convention]
[tcea conference]
[register austin tcea 2010]
[attend tcea]
[2010 texas educational technology conference]
[texas educational technology conference 2010]
[register tcea 2010 austin]
[register austin tcea]
[register tcea]

Once we can offer a full schedule, we can send visitors to that program, But for now, sending folks to an almost empty Wiki schedule seems self-defeating. A more effective strategy might be to get attendees to sign up, then ask if they would share during an Unconference session because we can add facilities when we find a need.

Comment by Joseph Chmielewski on November 18, 2009 at 4:26am

Janice:

Great. At least we started some communication...

First:

Is someone from Lone Star EduBloggerCon talking to the folks at TCEA?

Maybe, but this group doesn't seem privy to those discussions.

Wouldn't skilled bloggers provide a running summary of those negotiations, pro and con view points, reasons for any decisions.

Wouldn't a Web 2.0 community involve everyone in finalizing and making those decisions?

Second:

Ideas must be expressed before action can take place. It is easy for everyone to assume that they understand what the other person is saying, thinking, assuming...

Unless assumptions are made explicit, communication is foggy and exists in shadows.

Thanks for bringing a little light to this discussion.

Third:

The issues, concerns, worries, stresses and points of pain reflected in Unconference topics that I suggested might be similar to "ordinary conference" topics; but the delivery and experience (and the kind of help that attendees receive) will be different.

Fourth:

The types of issues, concerns, worries, stresses and points of pain reflected in Unconference topics that I suggested are important (although those specific suggestions might not be relevant) because teachers don't just leave school and go to a conference for personal satisfaction.

Imagine a teacher approaching his or her supervising principal and asking for permission to attend a meeting of bloggers.

Teachers must provide the printed program and other paperwork to school district business offices unless they take the day as a personal day. Often, a justification statement that explains the educational reason for the travel is required in the request package.

And, many principals require (as all should) a verbal report to the faculty that describes the high points of the relevant learning...maybe sharing handouts. Some smart principals require that the traveler conduct a mini-training session for interested faculty members.

You and I, and the planners of Lone Star EduBloggerCon may have the liberty to decide for ourselves if we want to attend, but many of our constituent teachers must obtain approval. Providing a program seems important.

Teachers that are new to the profession, who have a lot to gain from our Unconference, might have the most difficult challenge in obtaining release to attend. All the more reason to provide a program that they can use to justify leaving their classrooms, even for a day.

Fifth:

"Stuck"in Austin was not intended to disparage the city, but to note that TCEA might attract different sets of attendees if the convention venue rotated around the state.

Teachers from small school districts in many corners of Texas could release teachers for a day or two, and teachers there could attend if they were within a reasonable driving distance.

It might also be possible for nearby districts, or campuses with skimpy budgets, to share a registration; i.e., one teacher attends one day, returns and hands off the registration packet to another teacher.

If I knew of any population center in West Texas that could handle the large crowd, I would have included that city, too. El Paso is just too far from other population centers, and attendance would suffer.

When Rick Martinez was President of the TCEA Convention, there was an investigation into moving the Conference to San Antonio, What ever happened to that initiative?

"Stuck" referred to TCEA's apparent comfort zone with keeping the conference in Austin when there seems to be a huge number of advantages to rotating venues.

Comment by Scott S. Floyd, M. Ed. on November 17, 2009 at 9:39pm

Janice,

You are spot on with your thoughts. There is no adversarial anything with TCEA and this conference idea. We do not look at is as a competition with anyone. We are merely offering an alternative ed tech event for those so inclined to attend. If ten people show up, then those are ten folks I want to be talking to and learning from. If 100 show up, then same thing. What I do not want is to sit in another sit and get without the conversation. I will get enough of those during every conference I attend. They have their place. This just is not one of them. If TCEA was worried about this detracting from the larger convention in some way, rest assured it would not take place. It is viewed as a positive event that will only add value to the entire experience of TCEA.

As you noted, while this event does take some planning to pull off, it does not take the volume of planning that some are trying to make it into. It will work because those who attend (regardless of number) want to make personal connections about what they do so passionately with students and staff. It is not a competition. It has never been billed as that. It is not viewed as that. It is completely free. I will see if there can be more of an emphasis placed on that part. It does say free in the registration process (which was only placed there to help us monitor attendees who had not found the wiki yet so we could get more space as needed). Notice, even Tim has not added his name to the wiki, and he is on the committee of this whole shindig.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. You get it. I appreciate that. I do hope more join the event, but regardless of the number, its success will be determined by the part each of us play during the event as participants and leaders.

Comment by Janice Friesen on November 17, 2009 at 4:17pm

Wow... I hope I can respond. This is a helpful discussion. I think I understand what an Edubloggercon is very differently than you do and maybe that is at the heart of actually contributing to a successful event.

1. Good points about TCEA and NECC being different. As a person that lives in Austin I am offended that you feel "stuck in Austin" ;-)... but maybe you are not the only one. I don't have ANY insight about the reasons that TCEA exists or does a conference, so I can't say anything about that. (so, we mostly agree here ;-)

2. Here is where we see things very differently. I may be wrong, but the first time Edubloggercon was held I THOUGHT it was started because many bloggers had things that they wanted to share and people that they wanted to meet. The NECC conference offered a unique time when people could come together from many places. I attended, but did not get involved in organizing or leading a session because I wanted to learn. I did! and I met interesting people...even one person that actually read my blog!

I thought that doing something similar in Texas was a way to help people get together. I understand wanting to be broader than only appealing to bloggers, but I think that there are a lot of people who just read blogs and others who are curious and would like to meet people who actually blog with their classes, etc...

I think of the unconference as something different. There were connections between the two, but the unconference was a way to recognize that during the conference one of the most valuable things that happens is that people meet each other. Also, that there are people who have things to share that did not put a presentation proposal in for one reason or another or even weren't accepted, but have something that others may want to learn. NECC provided spaces during the conference where this type of thing could happen. It involved many of the same people who went to and organized the edubloggercon, but was separate.


3. I agree. Absolutely free and including different participants is good.

4. Your list of topics sounds like typical conference topic titles. They focus on "how to" do various things and sound like experts teaching teachers. Maybe you did not mean it that way. Where is the Status Quo NO in this idea?

At the edubloggercons I have attended Learning and Instruction was central to what happened. It was not a group of bloggers talking about blogging. Here is a link to the sessions in 2007 and 2008 http://www.edubloggercon.com/Atlanta+2007+Session+Offers
http://www.edubloggercon.com/San+Antonio+2008+Session+Offers

They are heavy on Web 2.0, social networking, and talking about how education has changed.

5. Isn't someone on the planning committee (Tim Holt maybe) close to TCEA. Can't we work together? Is there already an adversarial feeling on the part of TCEA?

my thoughts

Janice

Comment by Joseph Chmielewski on November 17, 2009 at 3:29pm

Great ideas. Let's start a dialogue.

First:

The TCEA Conference and the NECC (Now ISTE) Conferences are different. Here are just a few ways...

* NECC - Summer Time - Educators are on vacation, or can easily obtain annual leave
* TCEA - Winter Time - Educators must get permission to be released from district responsibilities

* NECC - Venue is Tourist-Friendly and Desirable Location (San Antonio, Atlanta, San Diego, Denver, Washington DC , etc.
* TCEA - Stuck in Austin, and discussions for moving the conference (years ago) never panned out, or were abandoned)
(Note: See my comment in my Unconference test of HubPages, http://hubpages.com/hub/TCEAs-Conventon-and-Exhibition)

* NECC is backed by a organization, ISTE, with a topnotch CEO, Don Knezek, who understands and delivers on the idea that the business of educational technology is educational reform
* TCEA seems to focus on the business of running a convention

* NECC - Builds on a research base and partnership connections with a University focus
* TCEA - Partners with vendors

Second:

What is Lone Star EduBloggerCon?

I approach this program as an Unconference for teachers and folks that support teachers.

I don't see Lone Star EduBloggerCon getting much traction if it is narrowly defined as a "confab of bloggers."

NECC held an "Unconference" in San Antonio.

An "Unconference" seeks to provide value and benefits to attendees by overcoming the limitations of the main conference.

And, TCEA's main conference is conservative. Where is the dialogue? Where is the controversy? Where are the fresh ideas for educational reform. Where is the "straight talk?"

These elements that are missing from TCEA's conference become the power of an Unconference. Theme for an Unconference, "Status quo, No!"

Third:

The Lone Star EduBloggerCon could pull from another audience besides TCEA Registrants.

The conference is "Totally Free." It isn't necessary to attend TCEA to attend the Unconference.

Besides, the folks that don't learn (or profit) from listening to lectures of "pablumized, 45 minute content bites" are not attracted to TCEA's main conference.

After years of attending paid workshops and only visiting the Exhibit Hall, I determined that I was wasting my money with a full conference registration. I could do just fine with just an exhibit hall pass. I believe that lots of potential Lone Star EduBloggerCon attendees are of a similar ilk.

I want to see our Unconference advertised as "completely free."

Fourth:

I believe that the focus of Lone Star EduBloggerCon must be on education and instruction.

Most teachers don't care about bloggers and their opinions. And, most teachers don't have the time and inclination to create and maintain a Blog for themselves.

Creating a Blog takes less than one half hour, but the time commitment to contribute to that Blog is the "deal killer" for over worked, over stressed, under supported teachers.

What might attract teachers are topics like:

* Improve Students' Writing Scores with Student Blogs
* Structuring the Student Writing-Revising Process with Blog Software
* Automatic Blogs that Generate Instructional Materials on Autopilot
* Communicating with Parents and Documenting Parent Contacts using Blog Software
* Building Online Presentations for using Blogs
* Professional Development and Web 2.0 Follow-Up Training Support
* Blog Strategies that Streamline Teacher Collaboration
* Documenting Class Assignments using Free Blog Software
* Modularizing Instruction with Reusable Components to Save Time
* Creating Better (Targeted) Instructional Materials than you can Buy with Free Tools
* Building a Multi-Media Teacher Portfolio for the Texas Teacher Appraisal System

Of course, these "off the cuff" ideas need to be tested to see which ones teachers really would attend. So, we need to offer a lot of choices and uncover teachers' real wants and needs with market research.

Fifth:

My concern is not that we would compete with TCEA since the Unconference has a different constituency. My concern is that TCEA folks might view what we do as competition, especially if we prove to be more popular and if we achieve greater participant satisfaction. Of course, making participants happier is easier to do with a participant-centered program that adjusts to participant needs and personalizes content sharing.

An Unconference places TCEA at a disadvantage in the same way that Web 2.0 social communities place static Web sites at a disadvantage.

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