“TVintage Luggage Parmiters Antiques Southsea Reduxext” http://www.flickr.com/photos/geishaboy500/3217701386/

So You Want to Attend a Conference...

by Diane Cordell

You’ve just learned about a wonderful conference. You feel that it offers opportunity for professional - and personal - growth.

“dream on” http://www.flickr.com/photos/gi/2953550/

Because sometimes...

“virtual” just isn’t enough.

You’ve connected with people online, you participate in online conferences, webinars, Elluminate discussions...but you realize that you’re missing out on a lot of valuable face-to-face interaction.

“what?!?!” http://www.flickr.com/photos/justbecause/291874981/

You may encounter some “resistance” to the idea.

Your supervisor isn’t convinced of the value of such a request. Money for fees, travel, a substitute, and other expenses can add up.

“Help for some decisions” http://www.flickr.com/photos/no-luogo/199372215/

Don’t just sit back and hope for the best!

If this really matters to you, you need to present a reasoned and compelling rationale.

“A prickly personality” http://www.flickr.com/photos/mharrsch/49790191/

Use some persuasion points:

Here are some points that you might want to make in stating your case:

“forever joy...” http://www.flickr.com/photos/santacrewsgirl/3204628014/

Inspiration

You will be exposed to - and inspired by - new ideas, theories, philosophies of teaching and learning.

“Happy crowd” http://www.flickr.com/photos/alesk/356136498/

Networking

There will be networking opportunities that can benefit both you and your district. You will have the chance to interact with professional colleagues, respected experts in many fields, authors, visionaries, vendors, movers, and shakers. People will “put a face to the name” and be more willing to interact with you online, once the conference is over.

“Visual Tools for Public Speaking” http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnygoldstein/3877740779/

Presenting

You may have an opportunity to present in front of your peers and benefit from their feedback. Preparing a presentation is a great way to clarify your ideas.

“ALA Conference 2009 Exhibition Hall” http://www.flickr.com/photos/vees/3727151140/in/photostream/

Exploring & Gathering

There will be vendors eager to showcase their newest products and services. You’re sure to come home with Good Stuff (anything from pencils to software, posters to books) for your district. And those business cards you collect may come in handy, when you need information or technical assistance later on.

And when you return...

“The Flight Home” http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/2263853533/

And when you return home...

Remember: the conference shouldn’t end at the Closing Session. Stand-alone PD, in any form, usually doesn’t lead to meaningful change in understanding or practices.

“Sharing” http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanr/142455033/

Sharing

When you return, utilizing what you’ve learned is paramount. Your supervisor will expect evidence to justify your conference attendance.

“Skyping in Mr. Silversides’ Classroom” http://www.flickr.com/photos/57634636@N00/2869677077/“AASL 2009 Gaming with Chris Harris” http://www.flickr.com/photos/82712595@N00/4077595141/in/set-72157622629562751/“Civil War Sallie” http://www.flickr.com/photos/71634097@N00/3696521643/“Geocaching” http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-w-locke/2638586231/“The Alice Project” http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/4320885492/

...with students

Use ideas generated by the conference with learners in your school (Skyping; Civil War Sallie; Geocaching; Gaming; The Alice Project).

...with staff, administrators, the BOE, parents and community members.

“Faculty Meeting” http://www.flickr.com/photos/editor/2652425435/

Offer to do inservice trainings, workshops, and presentations in your district. Take every opportunity, formal and informal, to make what you’ve learned available to others.

Take time to

reflect

on your experiences.

“The self image” http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmsmidt/3657956504/

Was the experience social, inspirational, transformational?

Document your professional growth and how what you’ve learned at the conference has affected others, particularly students.

“Frosty Morning Web” http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxypar4/2124673642/

Continue the conversations.

Don’t let your experience end on the last day of the conference! Maintain contacts, continue conversations. (Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, Delicious, RSS, Flickr, Skype, Diigo, Wikispaces, Ning).

“Business and Pleasure” http://www.flickr.com/photos/kisho_h/4278896830/

Should you attend on your own nickel?

If you decide that the experience would be a valuable one, but your school district is unable to fund conference attendance, consider going on your own. Think of it as a working vacation, with self-directed PD.

“Large set of balance scales” http://www.flickr.com/photos/30084068@N08/3813864085/

Weigh the possibilities.

Decide: Is there significant value in real life attendance, or will virtual attendance suffice? How much does “being there” matter to me, personally and professionally? Which conference best fits my needs, desires, schedule, budget?

Is there a conference in YOUR future?

“Pandora” http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_q/235242470/

Image CreditsSlide 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/geishaboy500/3217701386/ Slide 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gi/2953550/Slide 3: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justbecause/291874981/ Slide 4: http://www.flickr.com/photos/no-luogo/199372215/Slide 5: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mharrsch/49790191/ Slide 6: http://www.flickr.com/photos/santacrewsgirl/3204628014/ Slide 7: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alesk/356136498/ Slide 8: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnygoldstein/3877740779/ Slide 9: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vees/3727151140/in/photostream/ Slide10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/2263853533/Slide11: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanr/142455033/ Slide12: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57634636@N00/2869677077/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/82712595@N00/4077595141/in/set-72157622629562751/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/71634097@N00/3696521643/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-w-locke/2638586231/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/4320885492/Slide13: http://www.flickr.com/photos/editor/2652425435/ Slide14: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmsmidt/3657956504/ Slide15: http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxypar4/2124673642/ Slide16: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kisho_h/4278896830/ Slide17: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30084068@N08/3813864085/ Slide18: http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_q/235242470/

On Twitter, Plurk, Flickr: dmcordellBlogging at Journeys: http://dmcordell.blogspot.com