After an intense four days of innovation, collaboration and presentation(s), I needed a rest from VSS. What is difficult to explain to others who have never attending this conference, is the effect it has on one's psyche. Meeting other individuals who share the same passion for educational innovation has a profound effect on you - making you feel that anything you do needs to be taken to the next level. This year was no exception, and I walked away from New Orleans ready to take on the world.
Sunday began for me with the general membership meeting, a discussion of the vision of iNACOL and their priorities, and an introduction of the award winners for this year. Feeling energized, I joined the membership on the vendor floor, catching up with colleagues from BSN and PLS and finally meeting Rod Darrow in person, after having worked with him over the last month on the online educators blogging project. As educators who work in the online environment, we are comfortable working with individuals from around the world virtually, however, when we actually get the chance to meet, the synergy is invigorating, and inspiration seem to flow freely from the collaboration.
I felt a call to action in listening to Stacey Childress, Deputy Director of Education at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Her work with the Next Generation Model teams will offer educators cutting edge ideas when integrating technology and online resources into their classrooms, especially when working with underprivileged youth. My inspiration came in the form of making resources available to everyone - not only available, but easily searched, embeddable and aligned to Common Core State Standards. I want to find a way to make resources readily available to teachers, students and parents, and offer a road map through the clutter that is Web 2.0, social networking, and source validity/bias. The librarian in me has been working overtime, and through Childress's discussion, I may have found an outlet for work.
In presenting at this conference, I was able to share ways that the Quakertown Community School District is able to ensure success for online and blended students through the services we offer, and how librarians can support students and teachers by offering their services, resources and expertise in the online environment. These two presentations were well received, and can be viewed here. Additionally, I also was able to meet with one of the newest members of my PLC, James Brauer. We met through the online bloggers group at iNACOL, and as we worked through the projects together, found that we shared a passion and dedication to online teaching and administration which made us more like collaborating colleagues than individuals working separately over 1,000 miles away from one another. Such is the power of an online collaboration!
It's hard to believe that although I've been home for only two days, I've already begun to frame out my ideas for new presentations and chances for collaboration. It was a wonderful experience #VSS12, but I'm already poised for #VSS13!
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