Les cyberportfolios d’Opossum Le groupe des institutions utilisant nos fermes de blogues se trouve à la fin de ce billet décrivant l’outil des cyberportfolios d’Opossum. Des conversations dans lesquelles je suis engag&ea…

Echo a few thoughts above:

1. Clarence: Thank you for reminding all of us that this is hardly a US-centric conversation. And if the end-game merely becomes political, we all lose. I appreciate the many who have recently talked about a unified voice and even a unified tagging system, but this ‘community’ is made up of many small parts, loosely joined…and it hardly is bounded by one national map line. Stephen Downes often reminds that many of us US-based bloggers forget the rest of the world, save when we find a good story to echo or are fortunate enough to get a chance to catch a plane. The ‘future of learning’ issue is not a national one. It is a human one. And the 2.0 connections remind us of that daily.

2. Kevin — GREAT point about not needing a formal encounter such as NECC to bring people together to foster similar conversations. I still believe one of the best ‘events’ I went to in the last 3 years was the off-the-grid camp-out that Robert Scoble offered at his family place in Montana. Anyone that showed up, showed up. And the diversity of ideas and expertise was fascinating, as were the conversations and connections. All it takes is one place that can hold 20+ people…and an first-come-first-serve invitation that brings people together for 2-3 days. The rest takes care of itself. Now, if several of these took place on one weekend in multiple locations across the globe, and they participants synched their efforts (wiki, twitter, blog, videocasts, etc.)…well, we might have something that rivals the best formal conference you’ve ever been to.

3. Jeff (and Will) — Yes to the rise of “back channels” of conference session content!

De mon arrivée à la non-conférence EduBloggerCon à mon départ du Centre des Congrès en sortant de l’atelier animé par Will Richardson, j’ai appris grâce au pouvoir des conversations. En…

After we finished the Chat…we all looked at each other with a since that something just changed.

We quickly discussed how this type of chat benefits a presenter. The presenter can go back through a chat and see the questions the audience had, the one liners that hit home, and the thoughts they provoke. I can see how this “back channel” would be valuable as a presenter…and I already know how powerful it is as a member.

I think you’re right though…this has potential to change presentations for the future.

Thanks for the conversation and continuing to push my thinking!

Your engagement “flow”ed down the pathways of relationships that have been found? fostered? online.

Was NECC necessary for your cafe? (Could you just poll a best time best place on your own . . .) How long will it continue to be?

But I urge you not to get to forget about the rest of the world. While I completely understand that U.S. teachers are “itching” for change that (as far as a Canadian can understand it) is badly needed. But I’ve also learned more about the edusphere being international and the need for change being international as well. On the level of the political field, the voice of the educator is badly needed, but not only in the U.S. I would simply wish to remind people that all of our energy cannot be focused at these levels. We need good classroom teachers showing what classrooms can become as models to point to as the possibilities.

I am planning on coming to San Antonio next year, but hope not to only hear political discussions.