3 cities 3 conference titles: 3 snapshots of where we are

This is regional conference number 2 for me, and my third Educause event in as many months.  I January, it was my good fortune to meet many of you during the ELI annual conference in San Antonio.

In February, I attended the Southwest Regional Educause conference in Houston, and today, we're wrapping up the Midwest Regional Conference in Chicago.

What I observe is the conference titles did much to set up the differences in the attendees and the conference experience -- and gloabaly, these differences really define where we are with education technology today. To attend all three gives the broader and more strategic view of our work together.

The conference titles were:

• Connecting and Reflecting: Preparing Learners for Life 2.0
• Empowering Community Through Technology
• New Directions in Higher Ed IT: Navigating the Course While Still Drawing the Map

For those of us in education and technology - or technology and education - we each see one or more of the pieces represented by the titles:  we see the abstract concepts and pedagogical tools used to prepare learners blend with the ideas of community and ultimately we require the hardware and software to keep up or lead the trail and we live this idea of navigating while drawing the map.

Two things from the Chicago conference jump out at me:  First, in her opening address, Susan Metros shared an observation about goals, processes and tools.  My takeaway is that having an outcome in mind, such as collaboration, can lead to a process (shared presentation developoment), which then makes the tool (Google documents) eaiser to select.  Often, as innovators, we choose the tool first, then seek an outcome. 

The other observation from Chicago came during the lunch round table conversation.  I shared a table with an interesting and engaging mix of leaders from our region and we discussed emerging technologies.  Two  thoughts were shared about emerging technologies from two diffrerent perspectives:  the user and the implementer.  For example, we discussed Twitter. 

• One table mate made the observation that he was surprised no one was "twittering" the conference.  (There were multiple twitter-ers at ELI and a few in Houston.)

• Someone else at the table shared they didn't know what Twitter was. 

It struck me that this kind of conversation has been repeated over and over during the last 20 years -- just substitute any product name for "twitter".  (IE:  Lotus 123, Mosaic, Netscape, OnSale, Craig's list, Skype)

Another table mate offered that these have become "almost the technology du jour".

Exactly.

With scarce resources, and the changing employment demographic (see did you know on YouTube ) picking the right tools to deliver on the outcomes and processes requires more strategic thinking because if it is the technology du jour, you can't compete or succeed relying only on the best tactical execution. 

These conferences are a great place to get out of the office, out from behind the desk, and get a larger view of where we are.