Sunday, July 5, 2009

NECC for the Second Time

Whenever I meet friends, they don't understand where it is I'm going or where I've been. I know "librarian meetings" and thoughts thereof are considered by some to be quite dull, so if that's you, you can leave now...

but if you don't consider that sort of thing quite dull, perhaps you'll agree that NECC was a wonderfully stimulating opportunity to hook up with LMSes who really know their technology. There, and at the Constructivist Consortium event at Sidwell Friends last Sunday, I met some amazing people, some of them I'd been in touch with via Twitter, & other who were there sharing amazing things they were doing with digital literacies.

Unfortunately, my excitement was tempered as I know I probably won't get to return to the conference (which from here on out will be known as ISTE, the name of the parent organization rather than NECC) since it always conflicts with ALA. Making that choice means you have to decide which relationship you privilege, school libraries within libraries writ large OR school libraries within schools. 

Some people say go to AASL  & ALA Midwinter, but go to ISTE not Annual. Other say, fly from one to the other. I tried that last year, it produced two deeply unsatisfying conference experiences. I am not sure what the answer is, but it was sad to leave NECC and my ed tech world friends for now.