think:lab

Letting Your Audience's Story Fuel the Prezo

Perhaps one of the best pieces on presenting I've read in a long, long time:

• By a teacher
• By a presenter/speaker
• By an expert
• All, in fact!

Having succeeded in 'telling' his story, it dawns on him later that he missed Holden's gold ring:

I now see that I let great opportunities walk away from me. I shared my story with visitors, but visitors had related stories to share as well.

I wish I had had the insight to draw them out last night.

Next time I will do what I didn’t do this time. I will interview the visitors. In our conversations I will ask more questions about who they are, where they are, and what they do. I will ask about their experiences and get their opinions.

Their stories can only enrich my own.

Nobody needs a raised eyebrow or drum roll to put this in teaching-in-the-classroom terms.  It's kinda obvious. 

Hats off to Jeff Utecht for saying what we all should say.  Better yet, for seeing it in the mirror first, rather than from the cheap seats in the audience.

Helping Kids Channel Imagination into Stories

Pssst, @NECC.  Yah, you, my @network chums:

Rumor has it that the future of learning is all about global publishing our kiddos' imaginations.   

No limits save what we can dream up (within the confines of our broadband contract, of course).

Problem with all that conference banter and edu-speak is that most typical folks -- think grandparents and crossing guards -- couldn't give the back end of a rat about pedagogy, tech-based semantics and 2.0 widgets.

But they love their wee ones.  Constantly pasting up screwy crayon drawings on the fridge every time junior pulls his head up from the arts-n-craft table.

Wanna get the elders on the blogging train? 

Start a blog where they can 'hug' their granddaughter from a distance anytime they want.  Heck, my father-in-law who managed to retire before email entered his corporate law office is a regular blogger now that he has a grandkiddo in Texas.  Go figure!

Wanna get the elders to grasp why you're so giddy about kids publishing globally in a veritable blink-of-an-eye? 

Have them watch their own wee ones publish a storybook of their own creation via Tikatok, a clever little site focused on helping kiddos channel their imagination into published storybooks that can be held in real time, in real hands by their family and friends.  The coffee table present always wins hearts!

Oh, and this can be done in your classroom, too.  Handy dandy vid on the Tikatok site shows just how easy it is.  Mmm.

***

Psst, to the @haters out there that wanna say, hey, you can do that @Kinkos, or, hey, there are 73 other widgets/sites that can do that, too, I say, hey, you're right, but that ain't the point, now is it? 

It's about figuring out how to make stick figure drawings come alive for our elders so that they can fund/support dat wacky 2.0 project or classroom initiative you keep railing about in the echo chamber. 

Get 'em to hug their kiddos and impress their neighbors about junior's finger painting skills, and you'll see the elder generation join the revolution. 

Viva la -- errr, what was it? oh, yeah -- revolution de learning!

"You Know What's Funny About the Oprah Q?"

Thanks to @GrammarGirl for Tweeting this lovely vid earlier today. 

Definitely going to have this running at some point this fall in my classroom.  I'll ask the students to deconstruct on their terms.  We'll talk about writers.  Publishing.  Audiences.  Emerging tech.  The "who cares?" question. 

We'll follow the idea trail from there.

Dennis Cass' "Book Launch 2.0":

Guessing my @network eating ribs down there @NECC should digg this: 

"20 years ago...a bit part of the dream was to put little videos on the Internet...that's why we do this."

"EduBloggerCon": Ownership vs. Communication

As I've stated before, I've been impressed by Wes Fryer's efforts to flesh out issues at this years NECC down in San Antonio. 

First, he shined a light on the NCEE conference planners' original "code of conduct" language re: whether your Average Joe audience member could backchannel record/publish content from keynotes and sessions alike.  Agreeing with him, I said I was quickly losing faith in this sort of "big show" conference and wondered how much longer bloggers-with-leverage would attend NECC and other traditional trade show set-up's given this collision of publication expectations.  Eventually, Wes' efforts inspired conference planners to re-tract part of the "code", now allowing folks to record/publish without explicit permission from the conference itself.  Gotta give credit to Wes and ISTE/NECC for that shift.

Second, Wes also pulled our attention towards a more thoughtful/neutral inspection of Pearson's involvement in this year's "EduBloggercon", complete with their boom mikes, big company aesthetics, and unclear goals with the final content.  Instead of just b*tching or calling for a boycott on all Pearson products (gulp; tough when they're the leading educational publisher, sportsfans), he instead used a calm voice and sat down with a major Pearson rep, offering a podcast of Q's/A's so that we can judge for ourself whether Pearson had a 'right' to be there, whether Steve H. owns any responsibility in bridging the tension (and explaining a few things on his own), and what it all means down the road for future blogger meet-ups at education conferences like NECC.

I continue to respect Wes' approach re: tone/reflection. 

On the other hand, I think Wes was a bit kid-gloved with Pearson/Dr. Roberts, and I have little faith that Dr. Robert's initial answers (or lack thereof at times) to Wes' questions suggest a real evolution in corporate thinking. 

As I said in my 2nd comment on Wes' thread:

Ultimately, this is not about ownership.

This is a matter of communication.

Before I share the longer comment I left on Wes' blog explaining what I mean by that comparison, let me re-iterate 2 key things first:

1. Wes' approach will ultimately benefit us all.
2. I greatly respect Steve H.  I also hope he'll step up and talk about the pros/cons -- in an honest manner -- of the how this was all perceived by others before/after the fact.  Again, that will benefit us all.

My original comment:

Been mulling a few assumptions and questions in my head since first commenting last night. Here is the big picture of what I’m thinking through:

Ultimately, this is not about ownership.  This is a matter of communication.

First, on a very practical level, someone/org needed to organize (Steve H.) or offset the costs of (Pearson?) the use of space, power, equipment, furniture, schedule, planning, et al of the “EduBloggerCon”. No conference/hotel is going to give away any of the above no matter how much “open-source” and “2-way convo” semantics are thrown around by participating bloggers (et al). It would be naive to question any company (such as Pearson) being involved or any person/org (Steve H.) putting it together ahead of time to his/its professional benefit. Bloggers/Teachers may want it to remain a free-sharing atmosphere, but someone’s got to keep the lights on and send out the invites.

Second, anytime an event shifts from a relatively “impromptu” meet-up to an “anticipated” performance due to popularity and Google Juice, the grass roots warm-fuzzies are going to be replaced with a bit of impersonal mechanization in future years. This feeling will be magnified if you have a combo of original evangelists (who helped inspire/legitimize it year one) and anxious newbies (who heard about it virtually the first time around, eager to see it F2F the second time) coming together…as well as the sudden arrival of an corporate outsider.

Given these 2 assumptions/reflections, I can’t help but wonder what all the fuss is about. “EduBloggerCon” would NOT even have existed had Steve H. not pulled the organizational levers; likewise, it only makes sense from a professional (yes, teachers: that word has many connotations!) point of view to solidify and off-set the costs of the event through partnership. Anyone that has a problem with lack of warm-fuzzies in v2.0 of “EduBloggerCon” is either waxing nostalgic or naively.

Or maybe not.

As I said above, this is not an issue of ownership. 

It is, however, a matter of communication.

Skipping the but-it-doesn’t-feel-good-to-me reactions that any person is allowed to have, there isn’t much value in charging Pearson (directly) or Steve H. (indirectly, although I’m struck by the nearly non-existent conversation by fellow-bloggers/’colleagues’ to request that Steve H. throw his voice into the mix, esp. given any expected/potential/assumed professional/proprietary/financial gain on his part) with tarnishing the nostalgic nature of our collective memory of year one of “EduBloggerCon”.

On the other hand, this is a profound opportunity for talking about communication. Intentions matter little if there aren’t clear statements ahead of time and after the fact. Likewise, legal details, publication promises, competitive leverage, and signed agreements/releases matter little if the very evangelists in question are being talked around (or ignored).

Having listened a second time to Dr. Roberts’ replies to Wes’ questions, I could not help but hear the standard business response (mix defensive marketing posture with standard legal prep) in her answers. There was a great deal of instinctive focus on why Pearson had a right to be there and how it behooves them (as the largest educational publisher on the planet, paraphrasing Dr. Roberts) to pay attention to something like “EduBloggerCon” (hence, why she/Pearson approached Steve H. to get involved/record/edit/publish). On the other hand, there was very little acknowledgment of what the majority of “EduBloggerCon” participants/fans wanted to hear:

“We respect what you’re doing. We’d like your input on how we use/share the recordings we’re making. We understand that traditional business practices may run counter to the spirit of blogger meet-up’s like this…and we want to find a way to learn with/from you. Yes, we need to off-set our investment (time/resources), but we also want to ensure that we remain a legit ‘partner’ in this evolving educational/2-way publication landscape. Oh, by the way [in a nod to Dean S. above], we’d like to offer all participants/audience members a complimentary breakfast and invite anyone interested to participate in a series of discussions and virtual forums over the next year to flesh out some of the most salient ideas. Please let us know if you’d like to be involved. And thank you for letting us join the conversation.”

Or something of that spirit.

I suspect that if anyone listened to the podcast in full (once, twice, more), they’d hear little of that in her literal answers or tone of voice. Likewise, I have a great deal of respect for Wes’s tone/optimism, but I also wonder why the Q’s came across more like underhand softball tosses than honest professional inquiry based on some legitimate concerns by a wide range of participants and distant viewers/listeners alike.

As I hinted at above, I’m also very surprised that Steve H. (a man I respect and have enjoyed F2F time with in the past; a guy who has been consistently weaving together a formal network of educators the world round through a variety of digital tools) has not been asked to a) explain/defend the original contract, b) his communication before/during/after this year’s “EduBloggerCon”, and c) how he’d like Pearson/himself to go forward to maintain everyone’s faith in his/their judgment.

Again, this is not an issue of ownership.  It is, however, a real issue of communication.

Claiming, “We have a right because…”, will only alienate. Choosing, instead, to listen and to honestly respond with humility will create fans and allies.

And we’re all better for the 2nd option.

Respectfully, I look forward to this comment thread’s evolution, as well as hearing more from Steve H. and Pearson as time unfolds.

The "necc '08 blogger blues"

Here's the vid.

Popcorn and Crayola "Pip Squeak" markers are yours to gather.

The backstory (so to speak) can be found below for those who care to read such fodder.   

Thought I'd take a swing at the Vimeo fence for the first time, too.  Think I'm aesthetically partial to V over YT at this point.

Better visual experience & far superior uploading process.

The "NECC '08 Blogger Blues" from Christian Long on Vimeo.

Backstory:

On the way back from a better-than-Cats family trip to Santa Fe and Taos, NM this past week, I wrestled with the Should I Stay or Should I Go (Now) decision re: NECC down in Santa Fe.

If I went, it'd mean arriving home late on Saturday (after 2 days of driving), unpacking, helping with laundry, trying to get the kiddo back on some sort of sleep schedule, and offering to help my wife however I could for a 1/2 day, before jumping in the car the next morning to make the 5 hr drive down to San Antonio to crash NECC.  Oh, and then I'd have to turn around the car the following day to race back home to pack once again for yet another (10 day) family trip to Chicago/Wisconsin that involved a plane and much pre-lift-off stress.  A quandry, to say the least.  Especially when I considered my wife having to juggle all of that and Beckett solo for 2 days while I cavorted with my @network.

Desire to catch up F2F with blogging/network/life buddies from far-n-wide was ranking high. But so was being with my family.  And just being a decent husband/father in the process.

Choice(s):

Well, somewhere between Las Vegas, NM and Amarillo, TX, I made the mental call to skip NECC and stay home.  Figured I could snipe the backchannels virtually while getting a smile from my wife. 

1 day later, I'm 100% sure I made the right decision.  Even though I wish -- like mad -- I could have been in 2 places at once, especially given the RibFest and such going on down in S.A, family is family, being a papa/husband trumps all.

Tangents & Such:

With that said, Beckett and I had some fun today with a semi-inspired "My @network went to NECC and I made this lousy t-shirt" blogging brainstorm.  And then the lil' fella pulled out papa's 2 blues harps from who know's where. 

The rest is history.

Pssst:

The vid is offered with full tongue and cheek, and a legit miss-y'all smile.  Enjoy the world-wide release of Beckett's very own "necc '08 blogger blues", his first go-around on the blues harp (not bad for figuring it out on the fly on day 1).

P.S.

Hope to catch up with my @network soon, F2F or one Tweet at a time.  Consider this a down payment on that.

"...and I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt"

UPDATE: Motivational posters NOW available!  Skim to bottom of post.

***

While I'm still waiting for a proper @Twitterverse reply...

...figured I could begin mini-biz selling custom-made t's across the virtual conference hall just like I did when I spent 34 months touring with some funky Phish cover band from Ohio, selling cheap grilled cheese sandwiches to hackysack afficianados in the back parking lot way back in the early 90's.

Current Stock Sizes:

Toddler:               18-24 mos, some w/ pudding stains, some w/o

Adult Mens:            Large, pre-shrunk and really broken in

Manufacturing Process:

• Custom-made for each customer for special pre-Walmart old skool touch
• 2.3 minutes to create, assuming Crayola Pip-Squeak washable magic markers don't run out, or kiddo doesn't throw a fit nearby

Cost:

• Theoetically, priceless
• Negotiable, however, for all @network friends/allies
• Seriously rockin' deals if you order 10 or more for your entire @network
• eBay auction for original example expected to go for quite a dear price, so save post-NECC travelin' pennies to get in when the price war begins

Contact, Design Options & Random Questions: 

Try Twitter: @beckettsdad

...or even perhaps @ CafePress or Threadless one day soon (if more than my wife orders one)

***

Motivational posters now available.

Stay tuned for:

• coffee mugs
• wall-sized banners
• blog widgets
• all-over car decals for your @network 's next fundraising event
• conference tote bags
• "Happy Blogger Birthday" paper
• and much, much more

How To Send A Message, Kiddos

GPA.  Volunteering hours.  Sports trophies.  Teacher rec's.  Blah. Blah. Blah.

But how do you want to stand out in the admissions office line, kiddos?

While this may not entirely fit for every applicant, I do offer it as proof positive that 'message' and 'personality' can match.  And when they do, wow.

Best of all, here is how he showed the film:

I created the following video for a presentation I gave on May 23, 2008.

I wanted to make a video that would help share who I am and what I'm all about so I projected this video onto my shirt.

Seems like a perfect vid for Ethan Brodnar to give a double-take to, no?

Pssst:  Yet another reason -- also -- the check out Willy Kjellstrom's blogging (et al).  He keeps easy-to-use tabs on a host of inspirational and educational videos that have caught his attention.  A treasure trove, in fact.  Where I ran across this vid, actually.  And plenty more in the future, I imagine.

More Reasons to Watch Matt Dance (and Smile)

UPDATE:  Just added a 3-part video of Matt lecturing to Vermont's Champlain College at the bottom of the post.  Great stuff re: how/why he did the vids.

***

Tonight on Twitter, I left the following update:

2 years ago this very month, my car was unexpectedly totaled.  Driving from the grocery store.  Freak accident.  Guy slammed into the passenger side of my car.  I left the road.  Missed a telephone pole by inches.  Kind of a crazy moment that snuck up on me.

As each of us have experienced in our lives, the unexpected often gives us the opportunity to pause. Put things in perspective.  Even when our brain continues to spin with imagine if it had been worse thoughts along the way.

That was when I first ran into the "Where the Hell is Matt?" dancing phenomenon.  A random entry into my day, a day that needed a smile way back then.  Matt's dancing had such an impact on that day:

Where the Hell is Matt? from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

It still impacts me the same way even now.  Just had the pleasure of watching the latest-greatest version of his addictive dance steps from once corner of the globe to another.

No doubt this will go into the mustshowmystudents file for this coming fall. 

Not sure what the parallel assignment/lesson will be.  No matter. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  As long as my kids spend a few minutes grooving with Matt, smiling along the way, we'll pull something academic-centric out.

Promise.

The most recent video he shot with increased crowd participation:

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

All of this came back to mind thanks to Laura Deacs' tweet tonight which led me (once again) to one of new favorite edu-bloggers, Willy Kjellstrom, who offers a wild/dynamic thinking-out-loud process about Matt. 

And ultimately it was watching Matt's latest dance film that brought me back to the unexpected moment 2 years ago.  Strange paths.  Worth following.  Step by funky dance step.

***

UPDATE: Just discovered the talk Matt gave at Vermont's Champlain College that explains why he/how he made the dancing video.  Some interesting moments about accident and pursuit in making your life come together.  As a parent, I listened really closely to those parts.  As a teacher, listened just as closely, too.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Write Lola Write

Several times in the past I've used the German film Run Lola Run with my HS English & creative writing students. 

A lovely classroom gimmick in terms of justifying how little moments in a writer's story can (and should) cause splinter stories to grow wings at every turn.

Character wakes up.  Phone rings. 

Unexpected choice needs to be made. 

Pick path A.  Or path B.  Maybe C.

But what if you could back in time, replay the original choice.  Follow a new path.  Let time speed up again.  What would happen?  And where would the limits be?

After instituting a variation on the classic childhood love, "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories, this past spring, I think I'll resurrect the minute-by-minute speed of Lola with this coming fall's 10th graders.  Most are void of any knowledge of raves, let alone German pop/art.  This film will seem like alien mindfood (for many)  Most will think I'm daft.  They'll only be partially right.

But their stories will be more eleven than ten when we're through.

And at some point in time, I'll show them this digital wonderland of IAC public performance media/art, too. 

None will grasp the oh-so-meta nature of it -- tick, tock, tick, tock.  But they will have good reason to look like deer in the headlamps when I hit play.

Run Lola Run Lola Run Lola Run Lola Run from shiffman on Vimeo.

Launching "FlickrHunt" Blog and Game

After much time pondering the idea, figured it was finally time to launch the "FlickrHunt" blog and game.

Simple premise:

• I post weekly clues (items and themes).
• Participants try to 'solve' the clues via a camera and post to Flickr. 
• Each participant has 1 week to solve the list & submit photos.
• All photos are tagged "flickrhunt"; links are left as comments on the original list post.
• Judges (me and rotating guest judges) verify # of successful items completed by each participant and suggest 'winning' photos (photographic vision, creativity, inspiration, wackiness, etc.).
• A new set of clues is added the following week or so.
• Potentially: 
  
  • Participants are put in a 'league' and weekly points are tallied.  Sort of like a fantasy baseball league, if you will. 
  • Quarterly winners are announced. 
  • Perhaps wacky prizes are awarded. At least a sidebar widget/badge is created so winners can post on their blogs.

Wanna play?

Well, check out the official rules and the 10 beta test clues for this week (due by midnight EST, Friday, June 27th).

And if anyone wants to be a guest judge, please let me know!

Good FlickrHunt'ing!