Dear Colleague:

Welcome to Constructing Modern Knowledge 2023! We are thrilled you will be learning with us this July 11th – 14th!

We have lots of great surprises in store for you at CMK 2023. In case you have not seen the amazing guest speakers we assembled, point your browser to the Guest Speaker page.

Please consider the following information in preparation for Constructing Modern Knowledge.

1) The CMK Daily Schedule (this is flexible and is subject to change)

Constructing Modern Knowledge 2023 begins at 9 AM on July 11th at the Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Manchester Hotel, 700 Elm Street, Manchester, NH.

Registration begins at 8:30 AM in the Doubletree Expo Center Lobby. This is above the parking garage. If you enter the hotel lobby, it is to the left of the front desk, past the restaurant.

PLEASE DO NOT COME EARLY. We will be working until the last minute to make the magic happen.

CMK 2023 ends at 4:00 PM on Friday, July 14th. The institute culminates with project sharing and reflection activities. We understand if you need to leave early to catch flights, but the entire experience is worthwhile. The Manchester Airport is 15 minutes from CMK and you may arrive and 45–60 minutes prior to your flight.

Monday – Optional Workshops

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Pre-institute Workshops ”Introduction to Learning with Electronics” or “Scintillae” — additional registration required. See information about these workshops here. If you would like to register for either of these workshops, email Sylvia Martinez.

Tuesday July 11th

8:30 AM Registration

9:00 AM Welcome and project instigation

11:00 AM Project development commences

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM Project work continues

5:30 PM Reflection circles

7:30 PM Institute dinner at Gaucho’s Restaurant


Wednesday July 1
2

9:00 AM Project work continues

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM Project work continues

4:00 PM Guest speaker: Charlie Rosen

5–5:30 PM Reflection circles

Night on your own


Thursday July 13 

9:00 AM  Project work continues

11:00 AM Guest speaker: Gareth Stockdale

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM Project work continues

4:00 PM Legends Panel

5–5:30 PM Reflection circles

7:00 PM – Midnight Project Pajama Party


Friday July 1
4

9:00 AM Fireside chat: Howard Gardner

10:00 – 12PM Project polishing

Noon – 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM Project sharing

3:00 PM Wrap-up discussion, reflection

4:00 PM Farewell to all!

2) Feel Free to Bring New Technology or Materials You’re Interested in Working With

We’ll have a large library of hardware, software, toys, craft supplies, books and more, but we can’t anticipate every interest or need. So, if you have been dying to explore something new, CMK will provide the time and supportive space for doing so.

Don’t forget to pack power cords, memory cards, and cameras.

3) Bring a Laptop with Administrative Privileges

It is impossible to predict the nature of the projects created at CMK and we do our best to fill the learning environment with many cutting-edge tech tools and materials. As a result, you may need to install indeterminate software in order to support your projects,

A major aspect of CMK is learning what you need to solve personally meaningful problems. This makes it critical for you to have control over your laptop.

If this is impossible, there will be plenty of other attendees with computers you might be able to share. However, having a computer that can support a multitude of learning adventures will enhance your experience.

A tablet is typically not able to run the software applications or connect to microcontrollers and other devices that will be available at CMK. They can be a handy second device for research.

4) Dress Code / Weather

The dress code is casual, but you might wish to dress smart casual for the Gala Institute dinner. Manchester weather in the summer can be hot, and may have a few surprise thunderstorms. The venue is air-conditioned, so a light jacket is never a bad idea.

5) Meals

Manchester has dozens of terrific restaurants of all ethnicities and price points within walking distance of the CMK venue. The hotel also offers a casual tavern with food, and there is a small coffee stand near the CMK work area.

Make friends and go to lunch or dinner on your own. Lunchtime is flexible, but typically between noon and 1 PM. You just want to make sure to be back in time for guest speakers or to work on your projects.

Included meals at Social Events:

  • The Gala Institute Dinner (Tuesday evening) – The Gala Institute dinner will be Tuesday 7:30PM at Gaucho’s Restaurant, about 1/2 mile level walk from the hotel. Gaucho’s Churrascaria is an all-you-can-eat Brazilian churrascaria with unlimited meat on swords and a huge salad bar! Cash bar. (Dietary needs will be catered for.) (The hotel shuttle is available on request and subject to availability.)

  • The Project Pajama Party (Thursday evening) – The Project Pajama Party will be Thursday 7PM-midnight at the Doubletree for a late night hang and chance to finish up projects. Pub food + cash bar.

If you would like to add additional guests to either of these events and didn’t do that when you registered, email Sylvia Martinez.

6) Hotel information & Parking

Manchester gets busy in the summer, so we hope you booked your accommodation. There may still be rooms at the CMK conference rate at the Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Manchester Hotel, site of Constructing Modern Knowledge. But there are other hotels and motels in Manchester within a short distance of the Downtown Hotel at other price points. See the CMK venue page for options.

There is information about the hotel shuttle, local airports, ground transportation options, and more on the CMK venue page.

The hotel has a huge parking garage and for those driving in we will offer discounted daily parking validation at CMK. For those staying at the hotel with a car, let them know you are with CMK when you check in and you have a car parked in the garage. The discounted parking rate will be added directly to your bill.

Hotel Address & Phone

 700 Elm St, Manchester, NH 03101

Phone(603) 625-1000

7) The Schedule is Flexible

CMK is about learning, not compliance. In order to accommodate the schedules of our guest speakers and enhance the learning experience, this schedule may change. We will do our best to give fair warning.

8) Come Ready to Take Off Your Teacher Hat and Put On Your Learner Hat!

Please email if you have any additional questions.

See you in Manch Vegas!

All the very best,

Gary

Gary S. Stager, Ph.D.

gary@stager.org

Founder – Constructing Modern Knowledge Summer Institute