2012 Learning 2.0 Virtual Conference - August 20 - 24

We are pleased to announce the Learning 2.0 Conference, a worldwide virtual event, August 20 - 24, 2012 (until the 25th in some parts of Asia and the Pacific). This free conference is being held online, in multiple time zones, over the course of five days. It is being held in conjunction with Connected Educator Month, and will include an all-day virtual unconference on Monday (SocialEdCon online!) as well as a special educational start-up "pitchfire" event Wednesday evening (US Time).

To be kept informed of the latest conference news and updates, please 
join the Classroom 2.0 network. You do not need to join this network to attend, but doing so will also allow you to correspond with the presenters and other members, and to comment on sessions and discussions. The Twitter hashtag is #learning20.

There is still time to submit to present!  See below.

KEYNOTES SPEAKERS (SEE HERE FOR BIOS AND RECORDINGS):

Gina Bianchini, Julie Evans, Lucy Gray, Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Lee Rainie, Angela Maiers, Sugata Mitra,
Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Michelle Pacansky-Brock, Marc Prensky, David Warlick, Audrey Watters, Esther Wojcicki, & Yong Zhao.

Keynote Panel on Technology and Librarians: Gwyneth Jones, David Loertscher, Michelle Luhtala, Shannon Miller, and Joyce Valenza.

Special Conference Interviews:  Rob Fried and Gordon Dryden

Pre- and Post-Conference Special Interviews: David Deubelbeiss, Lee Rainie, Alfie Kohn, Gary Stager, Stephen Downes, Howard Gardner, Rudy Crew, Roger Schank, Paulo Blikstein, Tony Wagner, and Michael Strong.

RECORDINGS:

As conference sessions conclude, the session recordings will become available HERE. Keynote and special event recordings are posted on HERE.


ATTENDING:

The conference is free to attend. The conference sessions are being held in Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate), and can be accessed live from any personal computer. (All sessions will also be recorded and posted quickly after the conference.)

THE ACTUAL HOUR-BY-HOUR SCHEDULE FOR EACH TIME ZONE, LINKS TO ATTEND EACH SESSION, IS HERE.

NOTICE: IF YOU ARE GETTING AN ERROR WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR SESSIONS,
PLEASE TRY AND USE THIS NEW PAGE HERE TO GET YOUR LINKS.

To check that your computer is ready to use Blackboard Collaborate, please click HERE. "Step 1" will indicate if you have a version of Java that is compatible, and then "Step 2" lets you actually go into a test session. We encourage you to do this in advance of the conference. If you have any difficulties, you can ask for help in the WeCollaborate.com user community.

PRESENTING:

The Learning 2.0 Conference is a unique chance to participate in a global conversation on rethinking teaching and learning in the age of the Internet. Subject strands include changes in the classroom (social media, 1:1 computing, "flipped classrooms," digital literacy, maker spaces, gaming, open educational resources, digital textbooks), in student learning (individualized learning, student-directed learning, "hacking" education, personal success plans, ePortfolios, and building a digital presence), in teacher personal and professional growth (lead learning, personal learning networks, peer / open / self-directed PD), in schools (virtual and online schooling, mobile learning, blended learning, MOOCs, immersive environments, learning spaces, entrepreneurship, school leadership, big data, assessment models), and in pedagogy (from teaching to learning, social learning, social / educational networking, passion-based learning, learning how to learn, brain-based learning). A full strand list is available 
HERE.

(Presentations proposals on libraries, librarians, and librarianship should be submitted to the Library 2.012 conference, October 3 - 5. Presentation proposals on global education themes should be submitted to the 2012 Global Education Conference, November 12 - 16.)

The call for presentation proposals and instructions is now over (for reference, it can be found HERE).
The training page for presenters and volunteers is HERE.
Proposed presentations can be found HERE.
Accepted presentations will be found HERE.

VOLUNTEERING:

The volunteers are the heroes of this kind of virtual, inclusive conference. They help to make sure that beginning presenters feel comfortable knowing someone is there in the virtual room to help, and they also provide encouragement to presenters and attendees. To receive more information about volunteering, please join the volunteer group HERE. Special volunteer training is provided!

CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP:

Thanks to the following sponsors for support!

There are opportunities for commercial sponsorship of Learning 2.0, and both recognition and authentic appreciation for financial support will be given to those who choose to sponsor. Sponsorship levels and benefits can be discussed with Steve Hargadon directly at 
steve@hargadon.com or 916-283-7901.