Using Ning as Conference Networking Sites
Brainstorm on Elements of "Conference 2.0"
David Warlick asked me to post the following notes on the elements of "Conference 2.0," or improving conferences using the tools of Web 2.0. Here's the wiki link to the original: http://edtechlive.com/Conference+2.0. As an FYI, CUE.org has contracted with me to add many of these elements to their annual show, and I've made a similar proposal to NECC.
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Web 2.0 has provided a number of opportunities for new collaborative events to take place at conferences. The events can enhance participants' connections, dialog, and engagement. Here are a number of these activities that can be planned specifically for educational technology.
Social Networks
A conference social network allows participants to be a part of engaged dialog before, during, and after the show. It provides them with an ability to use many of the tools of Web 2.0 in a way that even beginners can participate, including the use of personal pages, threaded forums, blogging, photo/audio/video sharing, and friendship-building. An example of such a social network can be seen at www.Classroom20.com. Other options:
* A special forum discussion for conference ideas that can be monitored by the conference management
* Forum threads for each presentation/event at the conference (this allows discussion before, during, and after the actual presentations)
* A special greeting from the Conference chair on the start page
* A set of customized links to other Conference web resources
* Use our advertising code program that we have already created for Classroom 2.0 to place ads for conference sponsor on the right hand column--allowing either to give placement to the advertisers as an additional value for sponsoring the conference, or even charging for those ads;
* A training session (by phone) for conference management on how the network is organized and how to follow the discussions.
EduBloggerCons
"Cooperative" or "Un-" Conferences of educational bloggers, held in conjunction with regular educational technology conferences. Working with the blogging community, using the www.EduBloggerCon.com wiki site and email discussion link, to set up a one-day "unconference" for the educational blogging community. The blogging community helps promote and hold the event. For an example of his this was done at NECC 2007, see http://edubloggercon.wikispaces .com/EduBloggerCon+2007+Atlanta. See EduBloggerCon.com.
Panels
Panel discussions held as a session at a regular conference, utilizing collaborative technologies to allow for active audience participation. At the Office 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, we used SurveyMonkey.com to survey the audience about their interests as we started, and to prioritize the questions we would address. We also had a chat window projected on the screen behind us if they wanted to ask questions (which didn't really do much).
Twitter
An SMS messaging account for a conference can allow conference attendees to subscribe to messages from the conference organizers using their mobile phone/sms devices. Messaging will likely be limited, but gives the organizers an ability to communicate quickly and effectively with some large portion of attendees on a moments notice, with both organizational and safety benefits.
Session Tagging / RSS Feeds
Producing a standardized list of "tags" for the conference sessions and activities, and then a comprehensive web document listing the tags and RSS feeds to include in the conference social network, on the conference website, and anywhere else that is appropriate. An example of this can be seen at www.NECC2007.org. The tags allow blogging and audio/photo/video posting to be standardized, and there will be links to see all blogs posts, photos, audio, and video tagged accordingly. As well, there can be links to RSS feeds to allow subscriptions to the same material.
Bloggers' Cafe
Initially suggested by David Warlick on an NECC suggestion wiki. Set up an area for bloggers to congregate, relax, talk, etc. during the show. Needs to have power, comfortable chairs/couches, tables; would benefit from pc with plasma display, internet, and sound speakers.
Classroom 2.0 Cafe
An extension of the Bloggers' Cafe, more inclusive of all educators using Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies.
Session Podcasting
Recording and dissemination of audio.
Backchannel Communications
Support network for IM communications between participants, and sometimes speakers/presenters. I'm really interested in finding good forum/discussion programs for this. My main gripe has been that even the really good discussion programs I've seen don't have the ability to thread comments. Recommendations? UPDATE: Recently signed up for campfirenow.com, which is very good. Twitter would require the conference organizers to befriend each person who wants to participate, but campfire now doesn't require this--however, it comes at a cost. There is a free alternative I just found out about: www.lingr.com.
-----------------
Web 2.0 has provided a number of opportunities for new collaborative events to take place at conferences. The events can enhance participants' connections, dialog, and engagement. Here are a number of these activities that can be planned specifically for educational technology.
Social Networks
A conference social network allows participants to be a part of engaged dialog before, during, and after the show. It provides them with an ability to use many of the tools of Web 2.0 in a way that even beginners can participate, including the use of personal pages, threaded forums, blogging, photo/audio/video sharing, and friendship-building. An example of such a social network can be seen at www.Classroom20.com. Other options:
* A special forum discussion for conference ideas that can be monitored by the conference management
* Forum threads for each presentation/event at the conference (this allows discussion before, during, and after the actual presentations)
* A special greeting from the Conference chair on the start page
* A set of customized links to other Conference web resources
* Use our advertising code program that we have already created for Classroom 2.0 to place ads for conference sponsor on the right hand column--allowing either to give placement to the advertisers as an additional value for sponsoring the conference, or even charging for those ads;
* A training session (by phone) for conference management on how the network is organized and how to follow the discussions.
EduBloggerCons
"Cooperative" or "Un-" Conferences of educational bloggers, held in conjunction with regular educational technology conferences. Working with the blogging community, using the www.EduBloggerCon.com wiki site and email discussion link, to set up a one-day "unconference" for the educational blogging community. The blogging community helps promote and hold the event. For an example of his this was done at NECC 2007, see http://edubloggercon.wikispaces .com/EduBloggerCon+2007+Atlanta. See EduBloggerCon.com.
Panels
Panel discussions held as a session at a regular conference, utilizing collaborative technologies to allow for active audience participation. At the Office 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, we used SurveyMonkey.com to survey the audience about their interests as we started, and to prioritize the questions we would address. We also had a chat window projected on the screen behind us if they wanted to ask questions (which didn't really do much).
An SMS messaging account for a conference can allow conference attendees to subscribe to messages from the conference organizers using their mobile phone/sms devices. Messaging will likely be limited, but gives the organizers an ability to communicate quickly and effectively with some large portion of attendees on a moments notice, with both organizational and safety benefits.
Session Tagging / RSS Feeds
Producing a standardized list of "tags" for the conference sessions and activities, and then a comprehensive web document listing the tags and RSS feeds to include in the conference social network, on the conference website, and anywhere else that is appropriate. An example of this can be seen at www.NECC2007.org. The tags allow blogging and audio/photo/video posting to be standardized, and there will be links to see all blogs posts, photos, audio, and video tagged accordingly. As well, there can be links to RSS feeds to allow subscriptions to the same material.
Bloggers' Cafe
Initially suggested by David Warlick on an NECC suggestion wiki. Set up an area for bloggers to congregate, relax, talk, etc. during the show. Needs to have power, comfortable chairs/couches, tables; would benefit from pc with plasma display, internet, and sound speakers.
Classroom 2.0 Cafe
An extension of the Bloggers' Cafe, more inclusive of all educators using Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies.
Session Podcasting
Recording and dissemination of audio.
Backchannel Communications
Support network for IM communications between participants, and sometimes speakers/presenters. I'm really interested in finding good forum/discussion programs for this. My main gripe has been that even the really good discussion programs I've seen don't have the ability to thread comments. Recommendations? UPDATE: Recently signed up for campfirenow.com, which is very good. Twitter would require the conference organizers to befriend each person who wants to participate, but campfire now doesn't require this--however, it comes at a cost. There is a free alternative I just found out about: www.lingr.com.
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