Planning for f2f Rendezvous Oct 28

Planning for f2f Rendezvous Oct 28

by Elizabeth Wallace -
Number of replies: 28

As one of the Rendezvous-ers (I'm sure there's a more elegant French word) who lives in downtown Vancouver, I'd like to begin a discussion of how we can choreograph a f2f meeting on Friday afternoon/evening, Oct 28, to draw in people attending the eLearn conference and others who may be local. There are some very interesting ideas about how to set up virtual participation, but I want to make sure that we have a place to sit and natter if we are able to attend in person.

I notice that the eLearn conference is at the Vancouver Sheraton Wall Centre --  so maybe we should start looking into rooms there -- not one of those subterranean  ballrooms though. Can the eLearn people help us out, or are we on our own with this planning? Any other ideas?

In reply to Elizabeth Wallace

Re: Planning for f2f Rendezvous Oct 28

by Sylvia Currie -
Ahhh, right... thanks for bringing us back to thinking about carpeted rooms with comfy chairs, Liz!

John did mention during a phone conversation that in the past it has been fairly easy to grab a room for their Rendezvous (okay what's the plural of rendezvous?) at eLearn. I probably won't be arriving in Vancouver until Wednesday or Thursday and it seems like something that could be done more effectively in person. But I'm happy to try by phone. John, any advice on that? 
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: Planning for f2f Rendezvous Oct 28

by Elizabeth Wallace -

So it looks as though we're coming to consensus that the Wall Centre will suit us best (although Sue's idea of the Sylvia at sunset is tempting).

Regrettably, I won't be able to attend the entire eLearn conference, so have no contact with the organizers. Who among us is a paid up conference registrant, and able to chat to the eLearn folks about some options?  I'd like to have a place to meet, at least, say in Conference Room B at 1 p.m., even if we have to wing it after that.  Seems as though my ability to enjoy community is indeed proportional to the comfort of my armchair!

In reply to Elizabeth Wallace

Possible physical locations

by John Smith -
Liz,

Good questions! One alternative would be to just commandeer some space at the conference hotel. By Friday afternoon, the lay of the land should be clear, attendance tends to thin, and requests made face-to-face at the beginning of the week can have been worked out. However, if there are other locations that aren't too far that would be appropriate, there's really no need to meet at the conference. Are there other choices?
In reply to John Smith

Re: Possible physical locations

by Elizabeth Wallace -

Yes, Vancouver has choices! However, I'm all for taking the easy route and if we discover that our Rendezvousers (still looking for anothe name) are mainly drawn from the eLearn attendees, we might as well capitalize on that. I don't like the meeting rooms in the Wall Centre  because so many of them don't have windows and some are buried subterra, but there may be a space that suits in the Centre somewhere.

One of the ugly questions, though, is about money.  Can we pursuade the eLearn people to have a SIG meeting at the end of the conference if they've already paid for facilities? Or should we call on one of our "partners" e.g. SFU at Harbour Centre, or BCcampus.  Just ideas right now so if someone has plans or ideas, please come forward!

  

In reply to Elizabeth Wallace

Re: Possible physical locations

by Paul Stacey -

Liz:

I think the ideal would be the Wall Centre given thats where everyone will be. I can arrange space at BCcampus if needed and I'm sure you could do the same at SFU Harbour Centre but this requires people trekking. I wonder how many of us there will be?

Paul

In reply to Paul Stacey

How many of us will there be?

by Sylvia Currie -
I continue to spread the word. I plan to follow up with some phone calls -- people are so swamped with email these days and the spam filter gauge gets notched up to a higher level. I find myself routinely hauling precious tidbits out of the trash!

Here are some people who have indicated through this forum or by email that they are interested in attending. I've had several regrets as well. I imagine we'll bring in several through our networking at the eLearn conference.

John Smith
Liz Wallace
Alice MacGillivray
Cindy Xin
Quentin Beck
Stephanie Chu (I think)
Paul Stacey
Sandy Hirtz
Amanda Harby
Frances Long
Sarah Haavind (possibly, before she heads to the airport)

And of course Sus Nyrop from Denmark will be with us somehow! She always figures out a way to stay connected! smile


In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: How many of us will there be?

by Susanne Nyrop -
hehe, well  - If I am not wrong, I saw on the map that you're not far from the English Bay which is one cool spot for a sunset view! And, when I was in Vancouver five years ago, the old classic Sylvia Hotel just down at the Bay had a very neat dinner reastaurant, (as well as very good and cheap rooms en suite (for more than one person, probably also single rooms).

Yes, I will be vicariously learning from you and perhaps feel connected somehow, at least you might want to blog a bit about the conference; please don't run about like mad people just to start chatting with an online connection; after all a f2f meeting has a different taste, look and feel !!


Again, from my memorable days in Vancouver I recall how I ran amok at a local  Philliphinean internet café , the only one open on a Sunday apparently - and the browser was in absolutely non English characters. Imagine how toght it was just to send a few emails; my friend managed to make it work, and we discovered that he is using icons but I was (at that time) mostly dependant on text menus!

yours remotely controlled
Sus



In reply to Sylvia Currie

Inviting everyone to post something here

by John Smith -
It seems to me that it would be ideal if everyone who's going to be there at least posted something here. Nice to hear from them.

In fact, we could ask that everyone post a few words about what they'd like to share...

Do you think that's making too big a deal of it?
In reply to John Smith

Good idea

by Alice MacGillivray -

In an effort to model, I'll stumble through another installment.  I mentioned I would be away (a wonderful trip).  I've just returned from an intense work period and continue you be in an intense doctoral studies period.  So I am reading these posts off the side of my desk, hoping I'm not missing anything critical, and looking forward to meeting later this month.  I've been trying to round up other participants, but no luck so far.

The situation that is intriguing me most right now is one I mentioned earlier.  There is a group of professionals (nationally and perhaps internationally) who could be much more effectively engaged in just-in-time learning from each other.  In many respects the situation is ideal: there is a good level of trust even between people who've not met; I think the executive groups are reasonably supportive and unlikely to meddle; the professionals want to do excellent work.

On the flip side, I think technology has to be part of the answer and technologies are not only somewhat unfamiliar, but I suspect are still associated with wasted time away from real work.  They also have little or no budget, so I may need to get creative with tools and/or outside funding.

That is a gross simplification, but probably hits some highlights.  I would love to help this group, have offered to volunteer some time, and am as nervous as an expectant parent!

In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: How many of us will there be?

by Sylvia Currie -
I received another confirmation: Vivian Neal from Simon Fraser University. She is working on a Big Brothers and Sisters community project. I know little about it so look forward to hearing more from Vivian. Also, I received more regrets from people who are unable to travel to Vancouver.

BTW, for the non-Canadians in the group, we've been quiet in this forum lately as we recuperate from our Thanksgiving long weekend. We're suffering from work catch-up syndrome combined with metabolism slow-down from too much turkey and pumpkin pie!
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: How many of us will there be?

by Vivian Neal -
Sylvia,

Wow! Did you say dancing at the Rendezvous? I'll put on my dancing shoes and my best outfit!

I guess I should introduce myself before I go on. I'm a Program Director at LIDC at SFU. For those of you who don't speak LowerMainland/SFU, that's the Learning and Instructional Development Centre at Simon Fraser University. I'm also a student in the Master of Educational Technology (MET) program at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

I work with several learning programs, but my most interesting challange right now is the conversion of two blended programs to a new course management system (CMS). The programs currently use a home grown course managment system that was built at the now defunct Technical University of British Columbia (TechBC) and we are converting them to WebCT. I'm telling you this because I'm looking for advice from anyone who has experience in converting from one CMS to another. 8-) (I was looking for an emoticon for "hopeful")

Regarding Big Brothers Big Sisters, I'm working on a self-directed online learning program of about 100 hours to orient new case workers to the organization and to various procedures and standards. Alas, there is no online community component, and, in fact, no interaction with other humans. Even so, I'm confident that it will be an engaging learning experience that will tie in with other face-to-face components of case worker training.

I'm very much looking forward to sharing and learning from all of you at the Rendezvous - and I hope some of you love to dance!!

Vivian

Gad Zeeks! No speller?
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Possibly one more

by Alice MacGillivray -

One of our Royal Roads MA learners may be coming down from Terrace.  I have told her there is an online forum in progress and am hoping she will join in.

Alice

In reply to Alice MacGillivray

How can Fern join us?

by Alice MacGillivray -

I've just received confirmation that Fern Scodane will be coming down from Terrace, and is interested in joining us online. Her e-mail is Fern.Scodane@Community.Royalroads.ca

How can I (or one of you) invite her to join this space?

Thanks!
Alice

In reply to Alice MacGillivray

Re: How can Fern join us?

by Sylvia Currie -
Terrific news! I just sent Fern a message with instructions on how to self-register.

Here's a snip for future invitations:

Most of SCoPE is completely open to the public, but you need an account to contribute to discussions and personalize community visits. To become a SCoPE member go to:
<http://scope.lidc.sfu.ca/>
Click on "create new account" in the login area.

Here's a direct link to the Community Enthusiasts SIG:
http://scope.lidc.sfu.ca/course/view.php?id=12

In reply to Alice MacGillivray

Definitely one more

by Fern Scodane -
Hi everyone,

It is good to feel connected again!  I am glad to be part of the aura of "community enthusiasts" .  I look forward to the discussion and learning more. 

Some of the developments on my front include the implementation of Moodle.  Since the BC Campus conference in Merrit this year, I had my IT expert install the the system on our server.  I am in the process of working towards defining the applied project for my thesis which will likely use the system. In a softer sense also using Cynefin and CPSquare concepts. 

I too, like John (hi John:) will be in Vancouver for the full conference. 
See you there. 
Fern
ps. thanks for the invitation to this community.
In reply to Fern Scodane

Re: Definitely one more

by Sylvia Currie -
Welcome Fern and Vivian, our most recent confirmees for the Rendezvous! (I just read a message from someone who was alarmed to see the word "ovenable" on a food container, and even more alarmed to see it was in the dictionary! So, I figure I'll work on making confirmee a word :-) )

Fern, speaking of your Moodle work, you'll be interested in the seminar discussion we have scheduled to begin tomorrow: Enhancing Online Communication, facilitated by Cindy Xin. It's hosted on a Moodle development server at Malaspina University-College where we are testing out a Web Annotation tool  --all made possible by BCcampus, so in a sense an extension of the BCcampus conference in Merritt.
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Enhancing Online Communication

by Fern Scodane -
Thanks for this information Sylvia.  I have had a look at the site and it is very interesting work.  I will do my best (given time constraints) to get involved in this exploration!

Fern
In reply to Fern Scodane

Another FOAF coming to Vancouver

by Susanne Nyrop -
Hi,

Salvor Gisladottir from Iceland just told her elgg blogger friends that she is coming to Vancouver, too! 
From what I see in her virtual presence she is a community enthusiast, and she is going to be one or our roving blog reports for the coming Nordic Voice online conference. Why don't I send her an invitation to join you happy guys? I  think she's a born member!

She would probably Flickr,  videoblog or podcast on the spot :-)


In reply to Susanne Nyrop

Re: Another FOAF coming to Vancouver

by Sylvia Currie -
You are such an expert people connector, Susanne. Yes! Please do invite Salvor and thanks for the reminder to check into elgg.

I just added you to my elgg friend list (love that photo!) and also noted that elgg integration into Moodle is on the wish list. That would be interesting!

In reply to Fern Scodane

Re: Enhancing Online Communication

by Susanne Nyrop -
Fern,

just a big hug from me on the fly, so good to see you here.
 If you need to refresh your memory, I'm also having a presence over at CPsquare :-)

Sus
Attachment nordiskestemme_sand.jpg
In reply to Susanne Nyrop

Re: Enhancing Online Communication

by Cyprien Lomas -
Hi everybody.

I am a native Vancouverite and am looking for a chance to crash the rendezvous ;-).

I live in flickr  - Should we set a common flickr tag?   elearn05 (?)

See you all on Friday.  

Cyprien
In reply to Cyprien Lomas

Welcome Cyprien... and Flickr tag

by Sylvia Currie -
I'm so glad you'll be joining us Cyprien! And what a terrific idea to set a common flickr tag. My camera batteries are fully charged.

See you there!
In reply to Cyprien Lomas

Re: Enhancing Online Communication

by Salvor Gissurardottir -
Hi, I would love to come to the rendezvous. I am now in Vancouver for the e-learn conference. I like the idea of a flickr tag, I will try to take some pictures, tag with elearn05 and upload them, my flickr username is salvor and I went to two conferences in august moodlemoot in Oxford and wikimania in Frankfurt and put pictures from both of them on Flickr. Actually I think this is the easiest way to make people aware of social bookmarking (tagging).
In reply to Salvor Gissurardottir

Re: Enhancing Online Communication

by Frances Long -
Hi Salvor:

Welcome to Vancouver!  I hope that your hotel is good and that you enjoy our city.  I look forward to talking with you about the moodlemoots that you attended in Oxford and Frankfurt.  We are hosting our first Canadian Moodle Moot both online and face-to-face in February 2006. 

Face-2-Face: Friday, February 17 - Sunday, February 19, 2006
Online: Thursday, February 16 - Monday, February 20, 2006

For the face-to-face gathering we'll be in a small town on Vancouver Island by the name of Port Alberni.

I always like learning what worked and what didn't...  So,  I'll do my best to read names on name tags while I am at the elearn conference so that you can give me your impresssions.
In reply to Salvor Gissurardottir

Re: Enhancing Online Communication

by Joanne Nielsen -

Hi Salvor, I saw your presentation today at Elearn2005. It was very informative and enjoyable. You have a great way of getting your point across.

Joanne

In reply to Joanne Nielsen

Re: Enhancing Online Communication

by Salvor Gissurardottir -

Thank you Joanne,

I was very happy with how it went. I was very worried before because I am not fluent in English and it has been about 10 years since I have been in America. But this was on subject that I am very familiar with and enthuastic about and the audience was great, lots of good questions and discussion topics.

My pictures from e-learning 2005 are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/salvor/sets/1219724/

I also took one videoclip this lunch to demonstrate youtube.com (great tool), here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/?v=q1M9kc4YkZc

In reply to Elizabeth Wallace

Re: Planning for f2f Rendezvous Oct 28

by Amy Severson -
Ah-ha, It seems I've missed quite the discussion. I'm planning on coming down to the Rendezvous as well, though I will likely not make it until 3pm, given the long treck from Burnaby!

I work at the Burnaby campus of Simon Fraser University, and I am an Instructional Designer in the Learning and Instructional Development Centre. That's right, I'm colleagues with Liz and Vivian, and know Sylvia through emails sent in cyperspace.

See you soon,
Amy