There is always discussion about how to spread the word about integrating educational technology and why it seems such a difficult task. I believe my experience on the shuttle bus this morning bringing me to the last day of NECC 2008 sums it up.
Two young couples having a conversation about something they saw at a session and wanted to find out more about on the net proclaimed the following:
“I can’t believe NONE OF US THOUGHT TO BRING OUR LAPTOPS TO THE CONFERENCE!” Others … “Yeah.”
WHAT!!!!?
Learning is messy!
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Tags: NECC08
That is unbelievable! National Educational COMPUTING Conference. When I was packing, I made sure laptop was #1 on the list.
Haven’t you ever forgotten your own pen? More than one way to skin a cat and If they couldn’t put head around that it tells something even more!
Laptop is always packed. What is the name of the conference again? National Educators Can’t Compute?
Wow! I never have to think about my computer – it is an additional appendage. I went to a one-to-one computing conference and thought it odd that there were those without laptops.
This really doesn’t surprise me. After having spoken with many newcomers to NECC, I have found that they had no idea of what to expect. There are also many areas of the US that really are behind when it comes to integrating technology and creating the proper networks to advance collaboration and sharing knowledge. I have been sharing ideas such as twitter and technorati, and there are so many here that haven’t heard of it. It’s up to all of us to really get the ball rolling and get teachers into our tech world so that the students become part of it as well.
The other telling moment came during the opening keynote when the MC told everyone to “close their laptops.” Huh?
It’s a tech conference, people were taking digital notes, twittering and IMing the event for those who couldn’t attend in person. Just seemed odd to hear “don’t use technology to communicate” from the organization who was running a conference to encourage people to use technology.
If by some fluke I left the house without my laptop, I’d have had to buy a new one, right there on the vendor floor.
I was going to comment “truly unbelieveable” but by the time I read through the other comments I realized this is a valuable post you’ve shared. Recovering this kind of perspective after a week with our heads in the clouds of the edubloggercon and bloggers cafe is a good thing. These are the folks we have to reach out to (especially those of us in professional development roles) if we’re to help more kids. 🙂
-Mark, thanks, I think you are absolutely correct. I’m mulling around a post about that very subject. Wish I’d had a iPhone to jailbreak! Maybe next year!
Brian