iSean

i spent the latter part of this week at the MACUL conference in Detroit. i had a presentation on wiki-based textbooks. i have been disappointed at MACUL the past two times i’ve gone. this is a technology in education conference and i have had spotty internet connectivity both times. last year, they placed me in a large room off of the beaten path. their wireless network just didn’t reach me. i suppose i wasn’t the only person who complained because this year i received a letter explaining that speakers would have their own wireless network so we wouldn’t have to share bandwidth with the conference attendees. great, i thought. well i arrived to do my presentation and went to the speaker room to request access to the special wireless network. the volunteers in there looked at me quizzically. finally they tracked down a techie-guy who explained that there was no special network after all. doh.

my internet-based presentation had to run on the regular network. and, it was SSLLLLLOOOOOWWWWWWWW. i’d click a link to demonstrate something (e.g., Lulu.com) and i ended up just describing what folks should be seeing if the internet was working. many links appeared just as i finished and was ready to move on and many never appeared at all. very crummy. i don’t think my presentation suffered too much because of it, but it certainly left a bad taste in my mouth and i am sure the technology-laden session would have benefited by having working technology.

i did have a chance to catch up with some of my peers around Michigan, which is always nice. i am in my 7th year living in Michigan and i am finally feeling like i belong here. i even met some new folks who teach ed tech at other universities here in michigan. in fact, one professor even offered to donate much content related to the NETS that could be worked into the wiki-based textbook i am working on. if it happens, i’ll identify the individual and give him much credit and thanks. stay tuned.

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