#Edtechchat focuses on Education Technology. Co-founder Tom Murray says #edtechchat "connects us professionally with inspiring educators from all over the world, all of who encourage us to be better every day for the children and families we serve.”
Robyn from Nova Scotia, Canada. Gr. 7-9 Social Studies and English teacher. Currently doing my M.Ed in curriculum studies Tech integration. 1st Twitter chat! #edtechchat
George from Wisconsin. I am the Tech Director for my district. School board meeting tonight, so will be flitting in and out. Welcome to all the newbies! #edtechchat
Andrew from Missouri. I'm studying Social Media in #EDET543 with @dianadell. We're learning about Twitter chat. This is my 2nd time participating in a Twitter chat tonight... and 2nd time ever! #edtechchat
A1: I usually attend smaller, content-specific conferences hosted by local music associations. I attended Michigan's MMEA conference back in 2013! #edtechchat
A1: I have only ever been to a large conference and I really enjoyed it. It's great to have a lot of options when choosing a session to go to. I like to be able to see a lot of things in one day. #edtechchat
A1 I gravitate towards edcamps. I appreciate the format and the opportunity to learn from great edus. Once a year I will go to a bigger conference to expand my horizons and enjoy a keynote or two. #edtechchat
A1: I go to whomever has topics I need to care about - and some that I am just interested in - we should always be learning about schools, so we should be at a variety of conferences #edtechchat
A1 Our Conferences page https://t.co/sUwuhe0CuB All types are valuable and it does not matter the size. They are a chance to connect, learn and share with one another. My favorites are #edcamps because they are discussions of, by and for the participants. #edtechchat
A1 I gravitate towards edcamps. I appreciate the format and the opportunity to learn from great edus. Once a year I will go to a bigger conference to expand my horizons and enjoy a keynote or two. #edtechchat
My district sends me to one national conference (I just got back from #FETC) and one local conference (going to #NCTies). I can apply to present at others, and potentially get funding. On my own I go to local edcamps👍🏼 #edtechchat
A1: I usually attend the bigger ones. But quality over quantity. Some of the smaller conferences that have a great lineup can be better for me than a huge conference. #edtechchat
A1.1 Not sure if you would count this as a conference or an "unconference" but one of my favorite educational opportunities, are my quarterly Edtech meetings with about 15 educators from the area. #edtechchat
A2: I attend big national conferences for big picture perspective or new ideas - I attend local regional events for networking and to compare experiences #edtechchat
Since I am a theatre/speech teacher, STAM was just right for me. I would love to experience a big conference, but small ones allow me to actually meet and get to know other teachers #edtechchat
A2 As a director of instructional tech & innovation, its imperative I stay "in the know" to best meet the needs of our school. Tech is fast pace in change and sitting out means possibly being obsolete #edtechchat
A2: location (within a half hour of me), price, and value. Some larger conferences are difficult to extract learning value from as a music teacher. #EdTechChat
A2: I choose whatever class is close to me honestly. I don't usually have the ability to travel farther than a few hours for a conference. If there is something close, I am there! #edtechchat
A2) Mostly because of better engagement with participants. Bigger conferences just for wider perspectives from keynotes usually as @ajpodchaski mentioned. #edtechchat
A2 edcamps are affirming. I appreciate the idea of teachers teaching teachers & the freedom to move from session to session to get the most out of the experience. #edtechchat
A2: I’ve attended a couple very large conferences because my school was adapting an awesome new approach to teaching. I’m still a fairly new educator so I’m looking forward to attending more conferences for my own interests #edtechchat
a2b: I like unconferences and state conferences to make connections with others I can actually visit and see in action. Big conferences to absorb all. the. things. #edtechchat
A2: my district asked for input and then made the final decisions. I can choose other ones I’d like to present at and potentially get funding. #edtechchat
How do we know students know? More importantly, how do they? Where are students documenting their thinking, their connections, their disconnects, their questions, their growing understanding... It can be so much more than just a blog. @edublogs#edchat#edtechchat#edtech#cpchat
The Student Blogging Challenge begins March 3 and we need volunteer commenters.
Can you help spread the word? 📣
You'll need 1hr/week for 10 weeks and need to be involved in education (teacher, pre-service teacher, retired teacher, admin etc).
https://t.co/H7HwsFeOMZ#STUBC
A1: Usually small conferences, like around 100 teachers. But last week I presented at #FETC which had 10,000 educators. Also enjoy EdCamps as well. #edtechchat
A3: I feel that sometimes it is good to get outside your comfort zone in conference type - try some small and intimate, and also give a try for the large and extensive #edtechchat
A2 - I jumped the gun on question one :-) But I like to attend the larger conferences so I can hit a variety of topics and presenters. An eclectic option. #edtechchat
I am a very hands-on person so conferences that have hands-on activities are always a plus! But cost and travel time are usually a bigger factor in deciding #edtechchat
A3 It does impact whether I go to certain sessions. I love when time is built in for discussion. It allows for me to dissect the learning with others and grow more. #edtechchat
A1 & 2. I attend a variety. I was at a small one Saturday, EdCamp prior and I attend our large state conference each year - they each have purpose for a need. Getting ideas spoon fed at larger, connecting in conversation/people in smaller/ unconferences #edtechchat
A3: definitely! I need to talk and move around - which is why I have preferred smaller conferences in the past ..I also like to learn “hands on” and interact with the speaker if possible #edtechchat
A2: #FETC was a goal to get to someday and present, which I did! The other conferences are usually local and I enjoy listening to my peers. #edtechchat
A1: I usually attend the bigger ones. But quality over quantity. Some of the smaller conferences that have a great lineup can be better for me than a huge conference. #edtechchat
I think conferences need to recognize that both introverts and extroverts attend, and give plenty of opportunities for each to engage with their topics #edtechchat
Hi edtechchat! This is my first time here and as a future educator I look forward to interacting with you all and learning alot! #Sp19edfb4338#edtechchat
I love the unconference style of edcamps, more relaxed and organic. Large conferences can get stuffy or difficult to get in sessions. I need to be engaged. I can’t do “sit and get” presentations anymore! #EdTechChat
A3- Interesting question. I think I like structure of a ‘traditional’ conference because I like to plan them out ahead of time. However, I look for different types of session (hands on and lecture) when available #edtechchat
I think the default for most conference programming is extrovert, but there are some events which are really proving to allow introverts a chance to engage #edtechchat
A3 I appreciate the opportunity to connect with other edus so smaller sessions work for me. This does impact what conferences I choose to attend. #PLNPower#edtechchat
A3: Definately. I’m a talker. Edcamps and Unconferences give me that opportunity to discuss and question. I can ‘sit and get’ for about 30 minutes. #edtechchat
A4: I like to be able to choose my own sessions. Locking into one schedule means I might miss something else I want to learn about! (I'm in gen. music right now, but I still want to learn about band/choir). #edtechchat
A4: I hate waiting in long lines for a session! I won’t do that anymore. I’ve definitely learned networking is a huge key to conferences, not necessarily sessions. Conversations in the hallway can be just as important as a session! #ithappensinthehallway! #EdTechChat
Yes, thank you! At 2 events recently, the audience was asked to do the #floss. Not all are comfortable with public displays of merriment and it doesn't mean we aren't engaged or interested. Why alienate some audience? Please don't yell, either. We usually hear you. #edtechchat
A4- The more choice in sessions the better. I want to be sure each session will be meaningful and interesting. If I’m spending $$ and time to be at a conference I want to get the most out of it I can! #edtechchat
A4- I like to choose multiple topics and attend a variety of sessions which is why I usually choose larger conferences to go to. I like when hands on sessions are available and you get to create and/or take content with you. #edtechchat
A5 The ability to network does impact the conferences I choose to attend. I do not know it all and rely on my #PLN. I look to grow my support system and improve my craft. #edtechchat
A4 I appreciate the conferences that offer recordings of the sessions. If settings are full, no worries. If I'm overwhelmed, I can have a quiet moment and take in the session on my own time. #pdinmyjammies lol #edtechchat
A5: at the local level I want to be able to network because these are my local colleagues and who I might see at festivals. They also understand the demographic that I teach. One reason I love small local conferences. :) #edtechchat
Hi #edtechchat, Eric from Chicago joining late.
A4: I have seen overcrowded sessions at conferences. I really wanted to attend them but chose not to. Gotta be comfortable to truly learn.
A5: I don’t think this affects it. I can network wherever there are people. I do better networking where there isn’t a forced opportunity like a luau. Although I appreciate when there is options for hydration. #edtechchat
A5) I would appreciate if time is allocated for #teachernetworking in a conference but it shouldn't affect the choice of conference I attend #edtechchat
I don't mind direct audience participation, like talk to your neighbor or respond electronically to questions, but unless I am in a session about PE, please don't make me try to exercise! #edtechchat
In reply to
@sarahhanawald, @Filibuster3, @nathan_stevens
Since I am still student teaching and will be a new teacher, networking is always great! I still follow some of the people I've met and ask them questions. Wish conferences had time slots for it. #edtechchat
A5: Networking is huge! I want to get to know the person with the information, so I can follow up with them after the conference. Listening to a session may be an narrow view of a broader picture a person can provide. #EdTechChat
I think conferences need to recognize that both introverts and extroverts attend, and give plenty of opportunities for each to engage with their topics #edtechchat
A4: Don't get me started. I'm tired of shelling out several hundred dollars to not be able to get to my 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice of sessions. I'd rather be at a crappy conference center than a swanky one where I can't attend anything. #edtechchat
A5: Networking seems like a future driving force for me in conference selection. In April I graduate with a Master's of Educational Technology degree. While this will be useful in the classroom, what opportunities exist outside of the classroom to apply my MET degree? #edtechchat
A5: Not a fan of events set up specifically to network. The best connections are natural, during sessions w/ people who chose the same ones as me. The facilitator asking us to converse makes all the difference. Something to think about for our own classrooms. #edtechchat
A5- I think there are a lot of different ways to network. There are usually evening/social events, and discussions at sessions are a great conversation starters on different topics. #edtechchat
I have seen lunch tables organized around topics giving participant the choice to sit, learn, and connect. A nice addition to the conference day. #edtechchat
A5: Networking isn’t a deal breaker, but it’s definitely important to me. I want to make connections everywhere and build relationships to help me learn. #edtechchat
A6: This does not affect me at all unless it's a VERY recognizable name. Very few names could sway me (maybe Eric Whitacre? A former professor from my college? Not sure...) #edtechchat
The last big conference I went to.... I think I went to one season total. I spent the whole time taking to folks. It was better for me as ways to develop ideas #EdTechChat
A5- good question. Networking doesn’t affect how to choose conferences but it’s definitely a nice benefit!! I teach at a school that is a network so I have met other teachers from all over N.America and seen familiar faces at many! #edtechchat
A6: Keynotes make almost no difference, unless the theme is why I am attending the conference. They are usually only tangentially related to the topic, so are sometimes interesting, but not always #edtechchat
Keynote speakers don't hold a big influence in the choice of conference. But if they are someone that has relevance to high school or what I'm teaching, that's always a plus. #edtechchat
I go to a lot out of my own pocket. I think of it as reinvesting in myself and my career. It is not always easy and some sacrifices are made, but I have not regretted it yet. #edtechchat
A6 Not much. The TED talk video is cheaper for the known names on the circuit. I like it best when it's either someone who is an up and comer who gets me to rethink what I think I know, OR someone my inner fangirl gushes over (Oprah! Brene Brown!). #edtechchat
My district will assist (not fund it all!) until about October. That's when they freeze the budget. Every year. So, if there's a conference in May that you want to attend, better know about it almost 9 mos in advance to request some $. #EdTechChat
A6 not really a factor. I don't always go, but appreciate watching the recording. At an unnamed conference, there was too much loud music, cheering, and pats on the back before the actual keynote. It felt like a trap. "While we've got your attention..." #edtechchat
Agree! And don't be afraid to start your own. A meet up on any topic is just two people meeting somewhere with free wifi #edtechchat (https://t.co/mXmnhQDrpp)
A6 Keynotes are not the draw. I attend larger conferences out of a desire to learn more about a specific area. The keynotes usually inspire me and give me some pathways to new areas of thinking. #edtechchat
A6: The keynote speaker is just a bonus in the conference. I go for the content of the conference and usually follow up on the keynote speakers who inspire me. #edtechchat
A7: Unfortunately I don't have a budget as an itinerant music teacher, so this doesn't influence my choices at all right now. Maybe once I have a classroom/budget, this will be more important. #edtechchat
A7 - I LOVE spending time on the trade show floor. I love seeing some of my favorite people but I love going around and trying out the new tools and seeing the new tech coming available #edtechchat
A7- The only conference I’ve been to with a vendor hall was to my dads orthodontic conference where I pretended to be his hygienist to get free pens, toothbrushes, etc... #edtechchat
a7 I might be the odd ball but I work hard to avoid the vendors. It makes me uncomfortable probably because I do not have a line in the budget. What are the benefits from those who visit? #edtechchat
A7: I don't think much about the vendors, but the last time I went to a big conference I did learn about @BloxelsEDU and I've been using them in my classroom ever since. So glad I stumbled upon them! #edtechchat
A7 Learning #edtechchat but then I never attended Google I/O where they get the great prizes. Will just have to wait for the director to win an Academy for my biopic to get a real swag bag. (https://t.co/XA1kEl22K8)
A8: Depends on the topic - and where I am with it - sometimes I want to participate and can't - other times I am too busy thinking to participate #edtechchat
A7a I got a baseball cap that says INSANE. I love hand sanitizer, nieces and nephews love the goofy things like giant highlighters, yo-yos, mouse backpacks, haha hammers. Portable battery packs /chargers. #edtechchat
A8 I am all about being part of the discussion. I have trouble sitting still for long periods of time. I may have participated in a session while walking in a circle around the room #EdTechChat
I chose TMEA because of proximity. Most of the other Major music conferences are in other states so since TMEA is in San Antonio it is more accessible. I also chose it because it directly relates to my field of music education.
#sp19edfb4338#edtechchat
A9 - I have been to both, and it depends on what I need from the conference. I just like to know which it is ahead of time - switching on me when I get there makes me unhappy #edtechchat
Knowing at least some of the sessions ahead of time is great. That way I can start to plan out what I want to go to. And to make sure the conference is worth it #edtechchat
A9 Yes. I enjoy both. I'm a planner so being able to organize the sessions I'm interested in using #OneNote helps me prepare, but I also love #edcamps. #edtechchat
A9: Plan ahead for sure. Maybe this is a habit that's come to me after attending PAX West/East/South, but I want to know where I'm going to be when. (Also then I know when I can eat!) #edtechchat
I am definitely a planner! I want to know what my options are so I can make a decision. #METC19 is a week out and I already have my sessions planned! I'm open to switching things up when I get there though! #edtechchat
A9 I am a just I time session setup person. Even at planned conferences, I tend to go where friends go. I like to learn about what they are interested in learning. #EdTechChat
A9 Knowing sessions ahead of time helps me when thinking about larger conferences. I am there for a specific focus. Just in time topics are equally powerful and just right for small conferences where I can exercise choice and follow my curiosities. #edcamp#edtechchat
A9) knowing some of the sessions definitely helps but I am always keen to show up at one random session -purely because I lost my way and just want to sit somewhere rather than wandering about #edtechchat
I helped run a virtual conference in August 2016 for my former employer! It was interesting, but as an attendee, I would much rather attend an in-person conference. #edtechchat
A10 Yes, but no fun swag for nieces and nephews, lol. Sometimes I find it hard to focus at an online conference since it usually means I'm participating from home and easily distracted. #edtechchat
I think knowing what options/companies/developments exist in your area before your have funds is a good idea. #edtechchat If you get a grant, it's good to have some background info.
A10 - I’ve participated in some of the NotAt(Fill In Conference here) Google communities and hashtags. It’s just not the same, and sometimes it can be hard to follow when too many people are participating. #edtechchat
A10: online conferences tend to be harder for me. I need more stimulus and interaction. I tend to find other things to do on my computer instead of following along. #edtechchat
A10: I have done the online thing to follow live conference and tried online conferences - it becomes very easy to get distracted by day to day issues #edtechchat
A5- the ability to network is so important to me. As a senior in college I need to get out there and meet people and make a good impression, so that hopefully job opportunities will present them selves and I will already have a slight foot in the door!
#sp19edfb4338#edtechchat
ohh #edtechchat Did I mention it was free? Did I mention @indiewebcamp and @edcamp both the fork of the same barcamp style unconference.? Did I mention its production based? You will leave having hacked on and demoed a project. #e (https://t.co/ONm9zmg6z5)
The way a conference does, or does not take accessibility into account, also tells you about the folks running it and how much you could learn from them (or not). #edtechchat
For academics its usually a 1,000 (must include airfare, hotel, registration, meals transportation)...thus you don't see many teachers at national conferences. #edtechchat (https://t.co/cGBpDdMts5)
A11 I'd say it can depend on location because that affects the whole cost of the conference. Loved when CUE was in Anaheim. Cheaper hotels than Palm Springs. On average, maybe $100 per day of the conference for registration at the most. #edtechchat
But you have to understand the conference circuit is just a much a scam as the publishing industry. Build on an economic of false scarcity...Trust me no shortage of quality folks willing to talk about quality work #edtechchat (https://t.co/LY3LSbmh7n)
Our TMEA conference is one of the largest music education conventions in the nation, it’s $20 for music students in the state of Texas, and that includes membership! #edtechchat#sp19edfb4338
A11: The problem with conferences is not the cost of the conference but of travel and lodging - I cut those costs to the bone to get to as many events as I can #edtechchat
A12:I would change the price! $300 for 1 day is a pretty hefty price! I'd like to go to all 3 days, but my school only pays for 1. If it was a little more affordable I would pay for it myself! #edtechchat
#edtechchat I like the back channeling that happens during online conferences, & increasingly during in-person conferences now. At first I was distracted by it, but have discovered great ideas from others that way. (Also hard to sit still in-person, so online better for me!)
A12 - Would love one more day. Easier said than done. A little more time to make it through the trade show and a couple more sessions. That would probably drive up the price tho... #edtechchat
A5: As a music educator, it is all about the connections you make and people you know. It is a huge deciding factor in determining where I go! #edtechchat#sp19edfb4338
