#140edu

Last summer, long before my dream of moving to New York City was a reality, I heard rumblings of #140edu.  A twitter friend suggested I check in on the hashtag.  I watched as the tweets came out and was inspired by the conversations and innovative ideas about education in the 21st century that were being tossed around.  I even joked with my twitter friend, "maybe I'll be there in person next year."

Jeff Pulver and Chris Lehmann, the organizers of the event, have given educators from all walks of life the opportunity to share ideas and learn how the web affects all aspects of the business of education.  The list of speakers is full of education and technology rock stars and enough to make me want to sign up right now.  Not to mention the other educators attending that you'll have the opportunity to meet.  But, what makes this even better is the fact that educators can attend for only $1.40!  

Fast forward from my conversation a year ago and it looks like I will be there in person.   I'll be moving to the city to teach in the Upper East Side.  And as fate would have it, we're moving the weekend before the conference and my apartment will be within a few blocks of the 92Y.  This is one of those moments that tell me I'm doing the right thing. 

Will I see you there? 

This week, I had the great opportunity to participate in the #EDU140 conference at the 92nd Street Y. I think that Jeff Pulver who conceived the whole #140 idea is an absolute genius. Here are three lessons I learned.

1. Twitter is a great in-person connector. I've experienced this before, but I love using Twitter at a conference to meet like-minded people. Not only did I make some good new friends and connections, but I hung out with two people I'd met in the first half of the year at other conferences and strengthened those relationships. Take that if you'e one of those people who complain that social media takes away from in-person connections. 

2. There REALLY is an education movement that could give a sh*t about unions, politics, and governance. If you just read the big education blogs, you would think that the only people who matter are Joel Klein (the reformers), Diane Ravitch (the progressives) and Matt Damon (at least last week). None of these people nor the ideologies they fight about were part of the dialogue at all at #140EDU and it was refreshing. This was just about people who want to change perspectives and outcomes for kids whether they are teachers, principals, or consultants. Sam Chaltain has called it the "third tribe" in education. It's one thing to read about it and a different to see it in action. I love being part of this tribe more and more. 

3. A great conference bridges ideas and solutions. I loved how the presentations went between big ideas (what the hell are we teaching our kids?) and pragmatic solutions (what are 3 ways we can use Twitter to improve student safety?). It keeps the brain flowing and thinking long after the conference ends. 

I do have some suggestions for next year... all around presentation selection and not because I submitted a request and was not selected (full disclosure).

- One, I think we need a diverse set of school examples. There were multiple presentations that featured staff, students and parents from one of the co-founder's schools. We have 1600 schools in NYC alone that could be tapped into for next year. Let's get lots of perspectives now that this is an established event. 

-Second, flashy presentations without substance should be avoided. The UnCollege presentation at the end of Tuesday was a hot mess. All it did is convince me that the guy who was telling people not to go to college actually NEEDED to go to college to learn how to understand, organize and communicate data cohesively. The higher ed bubble is a serious issue and to not treat it so is a disservice to the movement to change it. 

Yesterday concluded the very first day of the newest #140 Conference, #140edu, and it went great! The speaker lineup included innovative educators, thought-provoking entrepreneurs and an UnCollege "educational deviant" that had many wondering about the true use of higher education. True to the name of the conference, participants and speakers alike flooded the Twitterverse with their thoughts (so much so, that the hashtag #140edu made it as a trending topic in New York). Here are a couple highlights from yesterday's event: 

Jack Hidary (@jackhidary)'s Get Up and Move

As the very first presenter, Jack Hidary set a high standard for anyone following him. He kept participants completely engaged and made sure to act on what he preached. Hidary stimulated and excited participants through a great paper card flying mechanism experiment

Christian Long (@ChristianLong)'s Design Thinking as the Only Legit 21st Century Pedagog

Everyone has had that moment where they realize that they can be better at what they do and Christian Long is no exception. Speaking on his role as a parent and educator, Long wants educators to move towards the "and" of education. "And.." what else can children achieve? "And.." what can you learn from your failures?

Inga Rós (@Inga_Ros)'s Are Schools Burning Books?

Inga Rós, a teaching in Iceland, described the need to move towards a more technology based education. If schools continue to restrict sites such as blogs and Twitter, students will not get the full 21st century learning experience.  

Marc Ecko (@MarcEcko)'s Campaign Against Corporal Punishment

An interesting addition to the scores of educators, Marc Ecko (CEO and founder of Marc Ecko Entreprises) spoke on the importance of words and their meanings, especially those involved with "disciplining" children in the classroom.  

Adam Bellow (@adambellow)'s The Tech Commandments

Perhaps the highest highlight of the day, Adam Bellow blew away the crowd with his 140 slides in 15 minutes. Participants laughed, clapped and soaked in all his Tech Commandments. Bellow said that despite advances in technology, (good) teachers were still needed but added "Every teacher that could be replaced by a computer should be!"

Dale J. Stephens(@DaleJStephens)'s Majoring in Life

Rounding out the evening was Dale Stephens, the chief "educational deviant" promoting the benefits of being an UnCollege student. Stephens who recently dropped out of college believes that higher education is not the right choice for everyone and that students should learn to educate themselves outside the classroom. Many participants spoke on their uncertainties on his model of education. 

The conference has kicked off! You can tune in live to watch here:

Next week, on August 2nd & 3rd, I will be in NYC for the #140edu Conference.

The changes in the way we live our lives must create change in the way we teach and learn. The real-time web should create profound changes in the way we think about what, how and why students and teachers can do, create and communicate. The very nature of what we consider “school” should be radically different given the powerful reach of the communicate tools our students have at their disposal. #140edu is dedicated to exploring and expanding that change.

As a student, I was able to sign up for just $15.00! Educators can also apply for just $1.40 here!