The Buzz@ Educause 2006

I’m always fascinated by the shift and movement of energy at Educause’s annual conference. The first day is, but obviously, the high energy day with attendees rushing from one room to the other. I get the feeling it’s because we are still getting the lay of the land so to speak, and when you discover that the session want to attend is clear across the hallway on the other side, there’s nothing for it but to set off at a brisk trot, backpack(s), goody bag, drink and all . Hmmm, wonder if Educause’s planning committee has a secret cardiovascular agenda in mind when they put the program together . Maybe they could consider Razor scooters next time, so we can whiz from one end to the other. Wheeeee, now wouldn’t that be fun!

It occurred to me yesterday that the traffic pattern on the first day is akin to the riding pattern on the road. Unlike car drivers, bikers wave out in greeting when they pass each other on gthe road.  How many times did you wave out in greeting to a peer, friend, or colleague yesterday as you headed off to your next meeting or session?

In contrast, day two is more leisurely; we know where we are headed now…or not . There’s time to stop and chat, make plans to meet at the party at the evening, and also hit information processing plateau, or conference fatigue as someone put it. But therein lies the rub.

The spirit and soul of the Educause Annual lies in the opportunities to learn and network and socialize. Sometimes the learning is from a presentation or constituent group meeting, but most often, the learning moment comes in the quick discussion that occurs as you head off, lunches in hand, to the next venue. I just wish there was a way to mine those moments better, or maybe even set them up better. Opps, got to go, my session is about to start

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Educause 2006 General Session

This must be the first time that an Educause general session has been held in an “arena” with people voluntarily opting for the “nose bleed” section.  Seven thousand attendees from 40 countries and 750 events to choose from depending on “your interests and stamina” as Brian Hawkins, President, Educuase puts it . Phew!!

Vinton G. Serf – possbily among the best-dressed keynote speaker at an Educause event to date thanks to hs doctoral robes, got the proceedings underway. By his own admission he does not suffer from “regalia envy” anymore. With that wonderful hat, neither would I! Topics on his agenda include
hardware and software acceleration, security, the semantic web, information decay, and interplanetary Internet.

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Educause 2006

And so it begins, the annual pilgrimage to the location of the annual Educause conference. Well, ok, maybe not quite a pligrimage yet given that it is only my third Educause so far. I well remember my first Educause, Atlanta, circa 2002. I was but a few months into my job, knew no one, and Educause was large and intimidating. The highlights of that trip were having to stay in a smoking room because I had arrived late in the night, a bicycle police escort back to my hotel because I was a little nervous about crossing the dark streets on my own, and leaving with a collection of soft toys thanks to my ability knock down boards! I decided the Educause annual was not my cup of tea and only attended the regional conference henceworth.

In comparison, Educause 2005 was an absolute blast, thanks in large part to the wonderful opportunity to serve as a podcast correspondent. I got to take a trip back down journalism lane so to speak, met people who have now become cherished friends, got to line dance with Gardner Campbell and Bryan Alexander, sorry guys, the secret’s out , and of course, I know more people this time round.

Educause 2006 is already shaping up to be wonderful. Who should I see as I head to the elevator after checking in but Gardner Campbell. After a delightful conversation that as always ranged all over the map, I stepped into my hotel room and fell completely in love with the room. Yes I know, hotel rooms are not supposed to have any personality, but given that I’ve always been dotty about dots, the polka dot sofa in the room was just icing on the cake! And it has also given birth to the notion that I should start documenting my hotel rooms. Don’t ask me why, must be the late night Pumpkin Spice coffee from Starbucks that I doffed before boarding the plane, or just the sheer excitement of it all. Either way, a picture or two for your viewing pleasure.

And so it goes, meetings and greetings, vendor booths and product demos, freebies and friends, at Educause 2006!

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