This picture was made using green screen and PhotoBooth. Kevin Honeycutt, Mike Cook and others from ESSDACK built this VW Bus out of plywood. It was also used and the check-in desk and Podcasting studio during the conference!! In fact, this is what Kevin was working on when I interrupted and had him SKYPE into my class and talk to my summer tech class of pre-sercvice teachers.
Link to Photos from Kevin from the conference
I just returned from the Podstock 2010 conference in Old Town Wichita. It was AMAZING. I mean amazing. I presented two sessions, Celebrate Kansas Voices and the first session I did, Changing the Face of Teaching one Teacher at a Time was packed out the door. That is a bit unnerving for sure. But what a great group of teachers, it truly was the audience that made my session interesting, they had questions, and shared resources and had opinions. It was a rich discussion. Such fun!!
Actually, as I was walking from my hotel room in the very cool Hotel at Old Town that morning to the conference facility across the street, I was thinking to myself, “I sure hope nobody shows at my session, so I can to one of theother sessions. Man, there were so many good sessions. I am feeling very honored needless to say.
I do think it speaks more to the conference organizers Kevin Honeycutt and ESSDACK, for having the right variety and number of sessions for the number of folks in attendance. Podstock is just a different kind of tech conference. There is tons & tons to learn from the sessions, but more from the people. The conversations are so very rich. It is not overwhelming or high pressure. I don’t know about you, and I do love to attend ISTE, but ISTE is somewhat overwhelming, just because of the size. Podstock is small by comparison. I think the intimacy is what makes it so darn powerful. There really is the opportunity to get to know and talk to everyone at the conference. I met so many teachers that I now feel connect to. My PLN just grew, which means I grew and have more people to call on for help when I need to.
Everyone was sharing resources and things from sessions via Plurk. So even if you weren’t in the session, you could get the resources. My Plurk handle is (cyndidannerkuhn). I have been a Plurk user for some time, but, I always considered myself more into Twitter (cyndidannerkuhn). BUT, this experience really showed me the power of the conversations that can take place in Plurk. I think tomorrow in my summer class of Pre-service teachers, I will show Plurk in-depth, usually I do Twitter in-depth and just mention Plurk.
So, please be watching for the shout-out on both about 2:00 Monday and help my very apprehensive pre-service teachers learn about Plurk and Twitter and the power of a PLN.
I brought a friend with me to Podstock, Cathie Klein, teacher, Seaman High School, 9th grade center. Cathines teachs a career life skills type class. She had never been to a tech conference before and during our 2+ hour drive home we talked about the conference non-stop and how she could convince her administration that more teachers from her school needed to attend Podstock next summer. She told me about all the ideas she learned to integrate into her classroom this fall. We were going a hundred miles a minute (talking, not driving). Anyway, it is so exciting the impact this had on us both.
I wish more tech coordinators and administrators would attend Podstock next July 15-16. It would be an eye-opener for them for sure. I am sure it would hlep them move forward with technology in their schools. At the very least, it might give them a new perspective and get the conversation started.
My wheels are turning! I am trying to think of a way I could make PODSTOCK2011 a required part of my summer technology class. It would be such a rich experience for my pre-service teachers to come learn and become a part of the conversations with these amazing teachers. Not sure how to make it happen, but clearly, I am going to be doing some serious researching, thinking and likely arm twisting. If you have ideas or suggestions, please post them in comments.
So, I guess, what I am really trying to say is, mark your calendars for July 15 & 16 next year and plan to attend Podstock 2011. Join the Ning at http://podstock.ning.com/ so you can keep up on developments. You will be glad you did!! I PROMISE.
Links and Resources for Podstock2010 (I will keep adding more as I find them)
Podstock, or What’s a New Yorker doing at a Kansas regional ed tech conference?
Wallwisher site with tons of resource
Voicethread, the Power of Plurk
Digital Revolution on Wallwisher
Plurker with Podstock resources
Kimberly Wrights Website (Mayor of Podstock or was it Podsock?)
Diigo Bookmarks from Karin Bell
I’m Going to Podstock Wallwisher
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Isn’t Kimberly Wright mayor of Podsock (without the “t”)?