Educational Insanity

There’s a bit of irony that I’m writing this given that Scott McLeod got on my case this morning for having my head in my Blackberry too much.  I’m glad he did that.  Here’s why…

I’m disconcerted that we’re here at Edubloggercon ‘09 which is billed as an unconference where conversations happen.  The goal is to stand in contrast to NECC proper where there are formal sessions with (usually) presenters speaking to the audience.  Yet, even in the smaller breakout “conversations” here at EBC, there are more heads in the machines having conversations in the backchannel(s) than there are having face-to-face conversations.  I would take a picture, but I don’t want to “out” anyone.

I’m all in favor of backchannels…in the right place(s) at the right time(s).  If I wanted to chat online with the folks here, I could have stayed at home.  Additionally, if I were facilitating a discussion among a really large group of people, I might encourage a backchannel there.  But, I came here to have meaningful, face-to-face, real conversations about real issues in education.  Fortunately, I’m finding those in small pockets off to the side; I’ve had a few really meaningful conversations and it’s only 11:30.

But, I hope others join me this afternoon in using this particular opportunity, Edubloggercon, to get our heads out of the machines and to look each other in the eyes and to engage in “real” conversation.

1. Ben Grey says:

   June 27, 2009 at 1:00 pm

   So you blogged about Edubloggercon while sitting observing bloggers in the bloggercon? Shouldn’t you have been talking instead of blogging?

   I agree with you entirely that sometimes we’re much more comfortable safely stowed behind the curtain of the internet. A sad reality.
2. links for 2009-06-27 | Señorita Murrell says:

   June 27, 2009 at 2:04 pm

   [...] Educational Insanity » Blog Archive » EBC ‘09 musings #1: The time(s) and place(s) for backchann… (tags: necc) [...]
3. Michelle Baldwin says:

   June 27, 2009 at 3:05 pm

   Many are backchanneling to share with those who are not able to be here F2F… just to throw a little devil’s advocacy out there
4. Debbie says:

   June 27, 2009 at 8:39 pm

   Seems like this is just how conferences are these days. Attended open space conference earlier this year, and wondering who was really attending and who was busy tweeting or otherwise engaged. Now open space is “law of two feet,” but still found myself feeling dismayed.
5. Paul Bogush says:

   June 27, 2009 at 9:17 pm

   I was watching one session online and the first thought that came into my head was that no one is looking at one another. Made me not want to look at them looking at their computers and I virtually walked out of the room…
6. Debbie says:

   June 27, 2009 at 9:34 pm

   Unconferences take getting used to. I like the freedom, but, yes, requires acceptance of what others choose,too.
7. Educational Insanity » Blog Archive » Bummer Boy takes on Gladwell, Part 1 says:

   June 29, 2009 at 12:15 am

   [...] Will Richardson dubbed me IWB Bummer Boy, and my one blog post (so far) about Edubloggercon ‘09 came off as cranky, I figured I’d stay in role and [...]
8. Steve Ransom says:

   July 5, 2009 at 9:25 pm

   Backchannels certainly have their value… for those in the backchannel. But for those who are all there wanting in-the-flesh dialogue, the backchannel-induced detachment from participating in the primary discussion can be problematic, for sure.
   I think there is also a relationship between what you are thinking about here and what many professors have experienced with the entry of the laptop-bearing students in the classroom. They are checking email, buying books, bidding on eBay items, playing games, posting tweets, watching YouTube video, buying music, … all at the expense of the primary dialogue that the professor may be trying to cultivate. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these behaviors, but when the serve to derail face-2-face communication meant to provoke and facilitate learning, then we have a job for Bummer Boy. How is he summoned, anyway?
9. A. Mercer says:

   July 7, 2009 at 11:40 pm

   @paulbogush I’m curious because I remember you thanking folks for liveblogging and twittering stuff out and I don’t see how we do that without being buried in our laptops.

   I don’t think there is a really strong line about what constitutes disengagement, and what is on task in those situations. I guess having a skype convo with your gf mid session would be way over the line, but when is live blogging non-participation? I’ve found myself lost in some sessions I liveblog (more at last NECC) because I was tuned into remote audience too much.