Engaged Learning

AmeriCorps Conference – How Conferences Should Be Done

Jan 23, 2009 Social Learning SIG

Last year I did a 1/2 day session at the NW Network Conference and had a fabulous time and learned some great things from eachother.   This conference caters to AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Vista – volunteer organizations with a great purpose and reach.  This March they have invited me back to do the opening keynote and four sessions and I couldn’t be more excited not only because I get to come back and talk with some really great people, but also because of the way they are organizing it.

They were self-admittedly a little late in staring the planning, but their planning is all over a wiki which speeds things up.  They are creating a NING page for discussions and  to post pre & post-conference materials.  The conference itself is very hands on – everyone is invited to bring their laptops and there is wireless access for all attendees.

I wish more conferences engaged attendees before and after and during like they are.

(semi-aside) A few months ago Christine Martell, the president of the local chapter of ASTD, and I talked about doing a follow up to the one day conference we put on late last year on Social Learning.  My thoughts would be to do more of an BarCamp or unconference for this next one.  Sounds like fun.  Now, if I could just find the time to squeeze in the planning…

Tags: americorps, astd, ning