We’ve always tried to make Podstock about learning. Well, learning and fun. But mostly learning.
So we don’t mind experimenting a bit if we think it will help people walk away smarter than when they arrived. One of our more successful experiments has been the Un-Conference part of Podstock. You can bet that we’ll be tweaking the concept between now and July 2013 but the basic idea is pretty simple:
We let you plan the conference.
Okay . . . not the whole conference. There will still be presenters from all over sharing their stuff with us in a more traditional conference format on Thursday and Friday. But the optional sessions on Wednesday evening will be all you.
Here’s how it works:
At 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 17th, show up at the Hotel at Old Town Conference Center. We’ll spend the next two hours talking about only those things you want to learn more about. And because it’s part of your Podstock registration, participation in the Un-Conference is free!
When the schedule of sessions and events for Thursday and Friday is published, spend some time giving it a good once over. Is there something there you want to know more about? Is there something that’s not there that you’re dying to know more about? Maybe you even want to share some learning that didn’t make it on the program. That’s what the Un-Conference is all about – giving you a chance to speak up.
Once you’ve had a chance to look over the program, you’ll have the opportunity on Wednesday afternoon to suggest topics and ideas that might be a good addition. Maybe you notice that more cell phone conversations would be good, maybe more PBL, more smart boards. Who knows what you might be interested in learning or sharing with others? Kevin Honeycutt and Ginger Lewman will facilitate a process that will let everyone suggest ideas and to vote on their favorites.
After you’ve all voted, we’ll tally the top hits and send them right back to you with room assignments and in a rough schedule. You’ll be able to make your own voice heard by picking a topic and volunteering to run your own session. Grab a friend or two who can help to make it even cooler!
And once the Un-Conference sessions start up, feel free to shop around and join whatever conversation sounds the most interesting! The more we talk and share, the smarter we all get.
