I missed out on NECC both physically and online. Despite my wonderful network, with @derrallg Ustreaming, and @durff plurking live links, I just could not find the time. I’ve read a few blog posts about NECC, but one has caught my attention. Ewan McIntosh is (Not) coping with cognitive overload:

I feel like the glass that’s got water gushing into it from the tap – despite all that water this particular glass is always going to be half empty when the tap eventually turns off. Most of the input will have fallen off down the drain.

I’m feeling that too. It’s past 3am and I’m up writing a post. I am also ‘working’ on my presentations for Alan November’s Building Learning CommunitiesBLC08. I’ve had some great help with these presentations recently, but I am requesting a little perspective…

Here are the presentation descriptions:

This, my blog has taught me!

Since keeping a blog I have learned that little lessons can form big ideas, altering what a teacher can and must do. I’ve recently moved my blog, and in doing so, I have reflected on every post along the way. Here is an anecdotal look at a few things my blog has taught me:

• I’m a square peg in a round hole. I’m also Batman, not Borg.
• Digital learning environments create diverse thinking opportunities.
• Learning from reflection is more than surface deep.
• Networks do what classrooms cannot.
• I teach, therefore I blog…

Learning Conversations

Guiding principles and guiding questions. This presentation has two distinct sections, the philosophical and the practical, or simply, the thinking and the doing.

1. Where do our learning conversations need to go? Here are three guiding principles to help us find our way:
• Not the Knowing, but the Process of Inquiry.
• Not covering the curriculum, but ‘uncovering’ the curriculum.
• A focus in innovation, creativity and design.
How do we model this… every day?

2. It is the questions we ask ourselves and our students that help make Project 2.0h’s great. This take-it-with-you powerpoint presentation will help you provide the scaffolding for engaging digital projects.

“I can do that without technology”- Actually, no you can’t!

There are great teachers who engage and teach students ‘without technology’, but that does not justify the avoidance of technology in the classroom. This lighthearted presentation is subtitled ‘The Rant, I Can’t, The Elephant and the Ant’. It explores arguments to support the need for networked teachers.
• The Rant: Things are moving much to fast to keep up!
• I Can’t: Every student (and teacher) already uses technology- get used to it!
• The Elephant: No students aren’t ‘Natives’ but they are digitally exposed.
• The Ant: Networks both teach and engage students.
The presentation ends with the video premiere of ‘It’s a Brave New World-Wide-Web’.

So, with ‘overload’ on my brain… I will look outward for advice. I think that I’m trying to do too much in each of these 1-hour presentations. So please take a look at the descriptions and be so kind as to offer some early input/feedback.

What do you see in the presentations that you like? What could you do without? What do I need to focus on? What’s missing?

Which one would you most likely go to? Least likely? Why?

What other suggestions do you have?

5 comments on “Presenting…

  1. Dave,

    Can I come to all three? These all sound like winners. I would make sure that in each one-hour session that teachers/learners walk away with one or two concrete ideas or tools.

    I found this week, during my presentations, that even though each topic was different, even difficult, that if I gave them one concrete application, they were ok with the discourse.

    You have alot to say in each hour, but the big lesson I learned this week is less is more!

    There is a great book called the Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young. Nice parable about seeing the “elephant in the room that would fit nicely with your “Rant” session. (I have it in a powerpoint on slideshare if you are interested).

    Great topics, great agenda, and great conversation to come!

  2. Thanks Angela,
    Great advice… Yes I’m using the ‘Elephant in the room’ but have not seen that specific version you mention and I’d love to see what you did with it.
    ‘Less is more’ is exactly why I am soliciting advice… hoping to pare things down a bit before I get too far.

  3. If I had to choose only one, it would be Learning Conversations. I’d also like to see something about putting the ideas from these conversations into practice.

  4. Hi Dave,

    I am excited for you–what a great opportunity! My question about each of these presentations is who is the audience? I looked at the conference site, and it looks like they attract the pointy-end people (tech leaders) as much as teachers–there will likely be a range of experience and expertise toward the high end of the spectrum. I would bet participants would want true conversation opportunities planned into the presentation where they can explore questions around your topics.And part of that needs to be the “Hi, I’m —- from —” …and not just straight turn and talk. This I have learned from reading blogs (and teaching) –and hope to remember in my own blog*–identity is important to us.

    I can see already that your presentations are going to be engaging, thought-provoking, and fun. Good luck, I am looking forward to hearing about the adventure.

    BTW, thanks for the encouragement. I’m in!

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