Comments on: EBC ‘09 musings #1: The time(s) and place(s) for backchannels

By: A. Mercer

A. Mercer — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:40:22 +0000

@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.

By: Steve Ransom

Steve Ransom — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:25:07 +0000

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?

By: Educational Insanity » Blog Archive » Bummer Boy takes on Gladwell, Part 1

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:15:44 +0000

[...] 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 [...]

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:34:13 +0000

Unconferences take getting used to. I like the freedom, but, yes, requires acceptance of what others choose,too.

By: Paul Bogush

Paul Bogush — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:17:22 +0000

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…

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:39:58 +0000

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.

By: Michelle Baldwin

Michelle Baldwin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:05:40 +0000

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

By: links for 2009-06-27 | Señorita Murrell

links for 2009-06-27 | Señorita Murrell — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:04:53 +0000

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

By: Ben Grey

Ben Grey — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:00:51 +0000

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.