#ISTE10 Observations: Episode I

I might love people watching more than I love 80's movies and pop culture. I have some down time while I charge my various batteries and thought a blog post on some #ISTE10 observations would be of interests, and possible entertainment, to those who could not make the trip to The Mile High City.

Apple

You would think that Apple was the only sponsor here. People are walking around with the iEverythings as the look for people to chat to. MacBooks are on tables and iPads are being cradled in arms. It really is a sight to see. My district is a Dell district. I'm not going to say negative things here about Dell, but I'm a Mac guy and I think schools should be 1:1 Mac schools. Out of the box and ready to go. Anyone can use a Mac out of the box. With all of the teachers with Macs, you think there would be more districts that are Apple. Maybe it's just my Metro Detroit area. IDK.

Hugs!

If you do not want hugs, #ISTE10 is not the place for you. My last post talked about this, but educators are friendly people. Everyone is so happy to be here and meet old friends and new friends. I've been to a few different conferences for educators, but this reminds of the Michigan Association of Student Councils/Honor Societies (MASC/MAHS) Conference I attend with students. Students from all over the state meet up and exchange ideas they have about student government, fundraising, etc. The kids hug, high five, exchange Facebook info, etc. The kids are just giddy to be there and meet like minded people. #ISTE10 is like that. We are just a bunch of teens excited to meet like minded people to share ideas. If you see me, feel free to greet me however you feel comfortable. :-) (I should warn you, I've been told I'm an excessive high-fiver. You have been warned.)

Get Comfortable

As I type this, I'm on the ground leaning against a wall. I was lucky to find an outlet to charge my batteries, but others are no so lucky. People are all over the place. If there is a spot, someone is in it. People are sitting crossed legged next to people they have never met (but probably follow on Twitter). I'm currently looking at a guy (creeper alert) as he sleeps across from me. His rests on hid backpack and seems very content. I'm sure he is resting up for a tweetup after the keynote. (To Sleeping Guy: If you are reading this, find me and I'll buy you some coffee.) (Weird! He woke up while I was typing about him. Can he read my thoughts!?) Anyway, being comfortable is not easy for everyone. However, at #ISTE10, people have no problem curling up on the floor with a Macbook or iPhone and getting work done. Is that something teachers do because of school or is it something we do because we ARE teachers? IDK. @Simplek12 was rocking bunny slippers. She knows how to get comfy.

Swag

Is it bad to take free swag if I have absolutely no intention of using their product? I feel guilty, but they won't let me NOT take it. I'm not sure how a ruler is going to make me want to buy a district set of X technology, but I do like me some rulers. The #ISTE10 canvas bag is pretty sweet. Anything to make grocery shopping easier on Mother Earth is cool. Not sure what else to say about Swag, but use your moral compass. If it points you to free Swag, more power to you. :-)

Those are just a few observations of the first day of #ISTE10. Remember, if you see me, say hi. I'm the educator with the Smart Phone. :-)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

- @TheNerdyTeacher