I facilitated a session today at the ECAWA “Web2.0 and School Libraries” Unconference. The topic wasn’t my idea, but something that Michelle from Guildford Grammar had indicated she wanted to discuss on the wiki before the day. I wanted to learn about it to, and thought this was the best way to learn it.
I gave a 10 minute presentation at the start, just to get everyone thinking and asking questions. I’ve added audio from the session to my slides and put it at slideshare.net as a slidecast, Learn how to be a good trendspotter and early adopter. (embedded below).
It was an excuse to try out MPOW’s new Zoom H2 Field recorder. I literally pressed the record button and put it on the table and forgot about it. Hence the sound dipping as I turn away from it. Without a mike or the angle to record set, I was very pleased with the results.
I’m always very impressed at how intelligently and generously people share their ideas at unconferences, and this discussion was no exception. I’m also struck at how different computer security rules are from workplace to workplace, and how creative people can be to get around them.
I learned lots today too. I made an animated fish wearing sunglasses that smiled and blinked during a hands on workshop about flash animation. I heard all about moodle (pedagogical open source content management system) and had a play on a moodle site as a teacher and student. I attempted to download and install it on my laptop as part of the session, but couldn’t. I was very impressed that Peter Spicer-Wensley from Swan View Senior High School actually bought in some rebuilt old desktop PCs that he gave away pre-loaded with moodle for people to try out. Very creative.
I’ve been to enough unconferences now to pick up a pattern – the slump about an hour after lunch. By then presenters who stayed up late during the week are beginning to flag, other participants don’t have any more room left in their heads, and lunch has made everyone sleepy.
It was nice to catch up with Sue Waters. I was sorry to miss her sessions on Edublogging and Wikis, but appreciated the help she gave me at the end of the day when I wanted some advice about plugins for WordPress Mu. She was the reason I packed my ugg boots in the car. On twitter in the morning she wanted reassurance that ugg boots were suitable dress for an unconference, so I had mine in reserve to whip out in sympathy in case people laughed and pointed at her feet.
She needn’t have worried. As you can see, she found a compatriot wearing boots just as funky as Sue’s roo-skin uggies, Sue Waters’ roo skin uggies found a friend
Hi Kathryn
I was in Vic’s session while yours was going on. It was great to be able to listen to your presentation and see the slides here to catch up. I have also been chatting with Merriwyn about some of the discussion. Oh – and I just looked at the time – I guess you had a point about that work-life balance. Thanks so much for being at the unconference. Merriwyn said your session really got in to the whole unconference spirit with everyone contributing.