Sometimes a change in attitude is followed by a change in approach. The idea behind Podstock is technology integration that is fun, empowering and inspiring.
It all started with one question:
Can learning about technology integration be both fun and effective?
Our answer? Of course.
At ESSDACK, we work especially hard to make learning fun. So why not have fun learning about technology integration? And from that simple question, Podstock was born. We held our first conference back in 2009 with a focus on podcasting. Together with a love of 60s music, it just seemed right to title our little get-together Podstock.
We invited all of our social networking buddies on Plurk, Twitter and Facebook, added our local ESSDACK friends and met in Wichita in the Old Town area. Kevin Honeycutt posted this way back when:
Possibility is in the air like it was in the summer of 1969, forty years ago. Those who seek educational freedom of expression for themselves and their learners will make a pilgrimage to Old Town in Wichita, Kansas for two full days of the joy of free and easy technology tools, the peace of mind that comes from doing all we can to empower learners and the love of communing with other enlightened educators from around the world. Here in this location we will change the educational world with a little help from our friends. Participants will become teachers and teachers will become participants as we open the door to this ‘un’ Conference experience.
There were low key sessions, tons of conversation, lots of interaction between sessions, a great band, dancing Friday night and just like that, a tradition was born. We originally thought that we might change the title every year but everyone fell in love with Podstock and now we couldn’t rid of it if we wanted to.
Since our first year, news of the fun and learning spread. Since our first summer of love, we’ve added more participants, a Volkswagon bus, guitar picks, different music, a 1950s diner, a flash mob, a year book, big hair, heavy metal bands, back stage passes, national sponsors and bowling shirts.
But no matter what we add to Podstock, there’s always been two constants. We’re still learning. And we’re still having fun!
