Pre-Conference Ning’ing…

I have a quick question for you.

If you were considering going to a conference, might you decide not to attend, if the conference put its handouts up on a Ning prior to the conference, or opened the Ning up for conversation?

If you were trying to decide between two conferences, would the conference that offers a Ning for pre-conference resources and conversation, lose points for that reason?

I look forward to your response?

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37 thoughts on “Pre-Conference Ning’ing…”

  1. The conference having the Pre-Conference Ning would be the one I would want to attend. The conversation that could evolve there among the participants and presenters has the power to shape my own learning throughout the conference.

  2. For me it would be the same as looking through a program prior to registering. If there were no sessions I found interesting, I wouldn’t go.

    But, couldn’t knowing that a Ning would be posted AFTER the conference affect attendance as well? Especially in these economic times, if someone knew handouts and resources would be available — regardless of when — they may elect not to come.

  3. Maybe it is because I have created a Ning following a workshop series so that the participants could continue developing the skills they learned, I would be more likely to attend a conference that had an attached Ning.

  4. David,

    I think it would largely depend on the content of the Ning and the overall subject matter of the conference. I am totally sold on digital interaction whether by social/professional networks, virtual worlds, or podcasting/blogging. However, there still is no substitute for face-to-face meeting with folks that you know. Sometimes it’s good to get more than a Tweet.

    -Lucas Gillispie

  5. I would like to have a Ning before so I can have an idea/prior knowledge as that is the model I use with students. I watch folks at the conference racing from one session to another hoping it will be good or wondering what it will be like. This is no way to run a conference with the tools we have now.

  6. David,

    With $$ being tight all over the availability of the NING site certainly makes it less painful to miss the conference if attendance wasn’t an option for me. That said you cannot beat face to face discussions and networking.

    John

  7. Hi David,

    I have stopped going to conferences for the most part. While it is nice to get together with people, I am learning so much online and find the diversity of people I work with online very refreshing and interesting. I find a lot of the social events at conferences to be traditional college-like mixers and many of the sessions too general or not directly connected enough to my needs.

    As far as I’m concerned, any conference that does not have a strong online component has no chance at any interest at all, since it feels like an elitist get-together party. From white papers to discussion areas, from twitter to places like edtechtalk.com, there is so much to learn in an open way, I see no value in paying money to waste time. Also, I have enjoyed dropping in on video sessions live from conferences when I have time. That’s my two cents! Thanks for a provocative question!

  8. I think that there is something to be gained from the networking aspect of a conference. This is more difficult for me to accomplish in a virtual environment (although I’m certain that it is a fluid process for a lot of other people). For this reason, though, I will always opt for a conference that allows for a greater degree of follow-up, dialog and outside involvement to bolster the content.

  9. If a conference presented good ideas I would definitely use the Ning and the handouts. There are so many conferences out there that is hard to pick and choose which ones to attend. If conferences were hosted both physically and virtually it would provide much more access and time to sift through the massive amounts of information. In turn creating equity for teachers who may not be able to afford the cost or time away from work.

  10. Yes I’d still go — the Ning would be good for creating contacts and getting the discussion started, it wouldn’t replace the face-to-face contacts however, or the discussions that come from meeting your peers in a space and time when you can just focus on the conference topics. I don’t know about others but with 2 small kids, working full-time my own PLN happens in the late hours of the night when children are tucked up in bed sound asleep (like now!)

  11. David, the existence of a Ning would not influence my traveling decision. I still want to go to the conference that I think will provide the best learning opportunity for me and that would include the networking that will take place at the conference site. Many of the Ning sites that I have participated in have been too artificial, too forced, and not very engaging. They can be done well, but it takes lots of effort and participation. It doesn’t matter to me if there is a Ning for pre-conference or for post-conference – I still want to go to the best conferences that I can. BD.

  12. I don’t think having a ning or wiki or other pre-conference resource influences my choice of what to attend. For example NECC had a ning, BLC had a ning, attended NECC and one day of BLC- but the ning had nothing to do with that choice. The resources are simply a good way to share information, not a replacement for attending. Attending a conference involves a lot more than simply getting the handouts- the f2f meetings and conversations make the difference. I love having the resources so I can go back and revisit and explore more deeply the topics at the conference or to garner more information about sessions that I did not get to attend. It’s doesn’t influence my choice of conference; that’s more influenced by proximity, time and money.

  13. No points lost for a conference Ning. I have a hard time attending conferences in the first place, because a worth-while conference must live in a very specific sweet spot.

    A good conference provides enough information and resources to make it worth the money and travel, but not so many resources that it’s overwhelming.

    A great conference adds a well organized means for connecting and creating with other conference-goers. A Ning seems perfectly suited for this application. Great organization also increases the capacity of the conference to present more resources and information without overwhelming the audience.

  14. MACUL Space is up for an EduBlog Award this year. IL-TCE’s Ning has been gaining traction. And most conferences have SOME sort of way for people to get their handouts online.

    I’d be stunned if very many people said that a Ning would cause people to not attend a conference. There’s more to a conference than handouts. Like the SWAG!

  15. No, if the conference is good then the Ning would just spark my
    interest and get me more excited about attending. Hand-outs are only
    a small part of any conference. NECC had a Ning that I was a part of
    before last summer’s conference, it really sparked my interests in
    sessions that I might not have attended otherwise. Great Experience!

  16. I don’t think it would change whether or not I would attend for several reasons:
    1. I’ve yet to see a social site consistently mirror the content or conversation of a conference. The contributions are still from a limited number of people.
    2. And anyway, a social site should extend the dialogue of an event, not replace it. The F2F conversation should be elevated and given a longer tail because of a social site.
    3. And I pick my conferences wisely. Why go somewhere to hear a rehash of what I read and discuss on blogs? So I guess what I learn socially filters my options.

  17. I would actually prefer a pre-conference Ning. I am a curious sort, so I usually review any information I can find before events. During the conference, sometimes the interaction and information needs to continue beyond the session so it’s a great way to keep it going. Love the resources that others bring to the virtual table!

  18. I think offering handouts online would in no way deter me from going to a conference for so many reasons. I wrote about this idea here. http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=48 For so many reasons, I don’t think a virtual conference concept will ever absolutely replace a live conference.

    I’m reading Garr Reynolds Presentation Zen currently, and he makes a very salient point about the power of a presentation. He notes that a truly powerful presentation wouldn’t make sense if it were devoid of the presenter. Meaning, if you were to look at the PowerPoint (or slideware equivalent) in absence of the presenter, it wouldn’t be effective in communicating the ideas the presenter is trying to convey. I think this could, and probably should be the case with presentations at conferences as well. The handouts should help but not supplant the need to see the person in person.

    There are great number of ancillary benefits to attending a conference in person, and I won’t take up the valuable real estate here by listing them all. Again, I reference my post above for my thoughts on the issue.

    Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.

    Ben

  19. I agree with Steve, the face to face is too valuable, and weil, generally very enjoyable … I can’t believe someone would see an available Ning and think, “Well forget it, if they have a Ning with handouts and updates it’s just like being there, let’s find a conference with no online support to go to.”

  20. David:
    I’d love to be able to peruse resources and start making connections ahead of time. I agree with Maureen and Lucas above that face to face time is much more valuable than just looking at the handouts.

  21. A pre-conference ning makes it so much easier to select sessions and get other timely information. Also a great place for post conference follow-up. I would be MORE inclined to consider attending a conference with a NING.

  22. I would still go to a conference even if it had a ning site. In fact, I’d probably be more inclined to go to that particular conference. The ideas and learning continues to grow beyond the conference.

  23. If the conference can be encapsulated in a ning why bother going at all?
    I would think getting handouts and other materials ahead of time would enhance the conference because you could better plan which sessions you wanted to attend.

  24. When I attended the CUE conference in Palm Springs last March, Mike Lawrence had this great idea to create a NING before the conference. We could see what the workshops would be, who would be presenting, and then come back to the site during and after the conference for handout materials from the presenters, comments, and so on. I thought it was a great idea. Nings were still very new to me then and I have since created my own for my tech cadre. The more people are aware of how they work and contribute to them, the more effective they will be. I have no problem and would look forward to joining any Ning for a conference I planned to attend.

  25. I would more likely not attend a conference that had raised the price and given less value than in the past. Having Ning would make no difference.

  26. The conferences are more useful because of the face-to-face. I think it would be great for us that can’t always attend to have the information on a ning and it would be eve better if the conferences were streamed and then added on their page. It wouldn’t take the place of being there, but it would be the next best thing.

  27. Having handouts on a Ning prior to a conference would not deter me from attending a conference. A Ning is a rich resource and would encourage me to attend the conference as the Ning facilitates making connections with presenters and other attendees. The conversation can continue post conference and encourages expansion of your personal learning network.

  28. I don’t know that I am typical of most teachers, but I do believe that a Ning would *attract* me to a conference rather than discourage me from attending. Having a Ning set up is just an indicator that the conference organizers are thinking forward to ongoing professional development and I would think that the whole vibe of that conference would be more positive and collaborative (2.0) than the locked-down, proprietary conference (1.0).

    That being said, I wonder if we, followers of David Warlick’s blog, are typical of most teachers and administrators… Frankly, I suspect that many educators would not make a decision about conference attendance based upon a Ning because many don’t understand what it is!

  29. One of the reasons I was not totally unhappy with not being able to attend NECC this past year was because I knew I could piggyback the conference in a lot of ways. By the use of skype, ustreams, nings, and cover it live, I attended MORE sessions at NECC 2008 than I had at the previous NECC I had attended in person.

    Though nings, skypes, ustreams, & more….this year I have traveled to Shanghai, Australia, and various locations all over the US.

    Your question though is “Might I not decide to attend”. And the answer to that would probably be a “NO”. Even if CUE or ACSI or any of the other conferences I go to yearly offered a more online format opportunity — I still believe I would go, because there is much more I get out of those conferences than just the sessions. To sit down and chat F2F with someone is well worth the cost of admission to these events.

    My other answer is, though, because of the opportunities they offer would “I DECIDE TO ATTEND” and to that, the answer would be yes. There are some conferences I will NEVER be able to attend (both of location and cost) but if I knew I could attend it virtually, I would add it to my calendar and be there ready to learn.

    Thanks for the thought today!
    Enjoyed reading the comments too.

    JenWagner

  30. I would be MORE likely to attend a conference with a Ning – the pre-posting would most likely whet my appetite about certain topics.

    However, would some administrators in that case use the online postings as an excuse NOT to allow teachers to attend??

  31. Being fairly new to web 2.0 and just beginning to use it in my classroom, I would definitely attend at Ning. Pre-handouts are very helpful for any conference. I think educators most educators would love to attend because they probably couldn’t travel to get there (at least I know I wouldn’t).

    It’d be great!

  32. Ninging would be added value to the conference, especially for the opportunities to engage in post-conference conversations with contacts made *during* the conference.

    As for the online possibilities, they are there if people are willing to go out and find them. Sometimes, it takes the ‘expert from afar’ to convince people that there are some really cool things online they should check out. Taking people to conferences excites and energizes them. They come home really wired to try out some of the new things they’ve found. Nings are just great ways of continuing that experience post-conference.

  33. Any good conference offers a kind of interaction that maximizes the affordances of the f2f environment. The Ning offers something quite different and also rich. If the conference were no more than the delivery of what is in the Ning, then it wouldn’t be much of a conference and I wouldn’t want to go for that reason. But if the conference is a true conference, then the presence of the Ning would be no deterrent, and would probably be an enhancement in supporting a deeper, richer starting place for the conversations at the conference.

  34. I realize the intent of the question, but shouldn’t the decision stem from the repsonsibility of the conference purveyor to meet the needs of its customers. In other words, setting up a pre-conference Ning might allow a conference organizer to tailor the presentations/workshops to mesh with pre-expereinces that customers have had. In education terms, a pre-conference Ning would act as a pre-assessment.

    Philosophically, there are plenty of conferences that have a set agenda and solicit customers–here’s my presentation, come by if you’re interested. However, the best conferences I have attended have approached the presentation from a different persepctive–here is a really good idea, so how can we fit it into your organization.

    The post-conference Ning seems like a no-brainer to me per the myriad of reasons listed by other commenters.

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