Another NECC is now one for the ages (my 22nd time speaking at NECC) and the greatest profssional learning opportunity of the year, Constructing Modern Knowledge is a bit more than a week away. I’ve been arranging dinners, buying art supplies and shipping a library of books, yes – books!, to Manchester, NH for what promises to be an amazing event. Participants are coming from all over the world.
The goal of Constructing Modern Knowledge is to provide a space in which learning is the consequence of experience and where you don’t hear a series of speakers, but work with leading experts and enjoy intimate conversations with them while collaborating on personally meaningful projects. Therefore, the program listed below is a guide detailing appointments, rather than a rigid schedule of events allowing no flexibility.
Please familiarize yourself the amazing faculty for this year’s event. I am so proud and grateful that these folks will join us! You will not find such talent or expertise at any other event.
CMK 2009 tentative schedule
Constructing Modern Knowledge is all about flexibility. Mini-tutorials, more formal conversations and social events will be arranged throughout the institute, but I realize that people like to have a sense of the daily routine. Here it is, subject to change.
July 12 – 8:45 AM Meet in the Radisson Lobby for preconference Science and History Tour of Boston (space still available)
July 12 – 7:00 PM Informal get together in JD’s Tavern at the Radisson Hotel
July 13 – 8:15 AM Registration at Radisson Hotel
July 13 – 9 AM Welcome and opening keynote by Dr. Gary Stager
July 13 – late morning Guest Speaker: Brian Silverman (the nature of science, mathematics and how computing brings these ideas to life)
July 13 – noon Lunch (on your own)
July 13 – 1 PM Project development time
July 13 – 4:30 PM End of day reflection
July 13 – 7 PM Conference dinner
July 14 – 9 AM Start of day & project development time
July 14 – 10 AM Guest Speaker: Deborah Meier (a conversation with one of the leading visionaries of school reform)
July 14 – noon Lunch (on your own)
July 14 – 1 PM Project development time
July 14 – 1 PM Learning Adventures with Lesa Snider (she literally wrote the book on Photoshop CS4 and is an expert on digital photography)
July 14 – 4:30 PM End of day reflection
July 15 – 9 AM Start of day & project development time
July 15 – 10 AM Guest Speaker: Dr. Lella Gandini (a visual tour of educational Reggio Emilia, perhaps the world’s richest example of constructivism in practice)
July 15 – noon Lunch (on your own)
July 15 – 1 PM Project development time
July 15 – 3:30 PM Leave on bus for Big Night Out in Boston
July 15 – 5:00 – 7:30 PM Reception, tour and special treats at FableVision Studios
Guest Speaker: Peter Reynolds
Optional roundtable discussion with legendary MIT scientist, inventor and raconteur, Dr. Marvin Minsky
July 15 – 11 PM (precise) Board bus back to Manchester
July 15 – midnight Arrive back at the Radisson Hotel
July 16 – 9 AM Project development time
July 16 – 10 AM Discussion of student leadership and empowerment with Sylvia Martinez, President of Generation YES
July 16 – Noon Lunch
July 16 – 1 PM Culminating project development
July 16 – 2 PM Project sharing
Reflection
Clean-up
July 16 – 4 PM Constructing Modern Knowledge 2009 comes to a close
Space is still available for Constructing Modern Knowledge! Don’t miss out!