tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22055982.post4374288562300360661..comments2024-03-28T08:36:29.053-07:00Comments on eLearning Technology: Conference BalanceTony Karrerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408035995182843336noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22055982.post-20952254939976950102008-06-07T10:45:00.000-07:002008-06-07T10:45:00.000-07:00Reading your post, I realize something I "knew" al...Reading your post, I realize something I "knew" all along. This relates to conference size, networking, and participation.<BR/><BR/>I attended my first ISPI conference around 1979. ISPI tends to be much smaller than ASTD -- I'd guess back then, maybe 800 participants; I think it's around 1200 - 1500 more recently. (The one ASTD conference I've attended was split between two hotels, which is <I>prima facie</I> evidence that your shindig is too damn big.)<BR/><BR/>Anyway -- I was a newcomer to the field of performance improvement, and the relatively small size of the '79 conference made it easy for me to get exposed to a wide range of ideas from a spectrum of presenters -- gurus, old hands, journeymen, enthusiastic newcomers.<BR/><BR/>Over the years, I've attended perhaps 10 ISPI conferences. As my own skills developed and my interests changed, I still looked for some exposure to a new area (someone talking about a trend or a kind of intervention I wanted to know more about). But I also tried to meet face-to-face with colleagues I'd built up some relationship with.<BR/><BR/>Today, social tool enable some of that relationship-building to occur without a prior meeting. I've never met Tony, but I'm pretty sure we've shared enough informally that we'd enjoy the face-to-face opportunity.<BR/><BR/>If professional organizations figure out some way to encourage and support such virtual connections, and follow them up with increased value in the face-to-face setting, that would be powerful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22055982.post-26388393118358583842008-06-07T06:52:00.000-07:002008-06-07T06:52:00.000-07:00Sarah - that's exactly it. But what's funny is th...Sarah - that's exactly it. But what's funny is that many conferences (and yes to Tim's point often the larger conferences) don't seem to work to support networking, participation, etc.<BR/><BR/>So, to Clive's point - as more people transition to getting the information via their PLE, then the point of the conference shift towards having f2f opportunities with peers.Tony Karrerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15408035995182843336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22055982.post-28991725484516933362008-06-06T17:18:00.000-07:002008-06-06T17:18:00.000-07:00Its funny you ask this question because I have bee...Its funny you ask this question because I have been wondering the same thing myself only today. I was having a conversation about the learning and participation I get from my PLE and how much more it is than from attending conferences. <BR/><BR/>But the value to me for attending conferences, as an academic, continues to be the face-to-face networking because conferences are still the 'learning' tool/event that is most valued in health. Also, it is a research output that leads to publications, which is demanded by my profession for career advancement etc.Sarah Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00480597227427423793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22055982.post-4438874339914845132008-06-06T11:07:00.000-07:002008-06-06T11:07:00.000-07:00I'm not sure I buy that. I think that large confe...I'm not sure I buy that. I think that large conferences have to work harder to make participation effective, but theoretically you can get much more specific in your topics given a large audience.Tony Karrerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15408035995182843336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22055982.post-9611644641356914562008-06-06T10:27:00.000-07:002008-06-06T10:27:00.000-07:00My thought on this, after attending ASTD myself, i...My thought on this, after attending ASTD myself, is that the usefulness of a show relates inversely to its size. ASTD is <B>so</B> massive, that participation and insight become almost impossible. <BR/><BR/>Fred Wilson posted on a <A HREF="http://avc.blogs.com/a_vc/2008/06/graphing-social.html" REL="nofollow">similar concept</A> recently in his industry, and it really resonated for me.Tim Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430351605144312408noreply@blogger.com