Keynote: AIKCU, Somerset, Kentucky on June 12, 2015

I was invited to keynote the annual Association of Independent Kentucky University Technology Conference. It was my first time visiting this part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and was really excited to see so many eager participants all thinking about a very broad selection of topics. In addition to the keynote session, I held a separate break out that was really just an extended question and answer session. We talked quite a bit about preparing our campuses in a systematic way for the changes hitting us all — mobility, finding challenges, faculty development needs, student expectations and so much more. Truly a great time.

Keynote: NJEdge, Spring Lake, NJ 7/25/2013

Later this week I will head out to the beautiful New Jersey shore to provide the keynote for this year’s NJEdge Summer Luncheon. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to share insights into new forms of conversations happening online in the support of teaching, learning, and scholarship. We will explore the notion of the “conversation” as it exists across the social Web to see how we, as educators, can take cues from this emerging dialogue. It is our responsibility, not to dismiss these discussion forms (and forums) as passing fads, but to realize the embedded pedagogies that exist within these emergent spaces — pedagogies we must understand to fully imagine what the future of digital media means to scholarship. While we will clearly discuss these new forms of conversations occurring online, we will also explore recent disruptions not just to individual classrooms, but to the entirety of the academy. With the accepted rise of MOOCs and the vast amounts of dollars being poured into education technology startups by venture capitalists, we will work to expose the landscape as it exists today and help shape a discussion about what this means to us all going forward.

Keynote: Albright College, Reading, PA 5/23/2013

Next week I will be traveling to Albright College to provide the keynote for their annual Teaching and Learning Showcase. I am really looking forward to spending some time talking with faculty and staff about various topics. I have been asked to speak about emergent forms of teaching and learning and how recent trends have disrupted the traditional notions held within education. While I will clearly speak to new forms of conversations occurring online, I will also discuss recent disruptions not just to individual classrooms, but to the entirety of the academy. With the accepted rise of MOOCs and the vast amounts of dollars being poured into education technology startups by venture capitalists, I will work to expose the landscape as it exists today and help shape a discussion about what this means to us all going forward.

Keynote: Penn State Regional Colloquy, Penn State Behrend 5/8/2013

I was lucky enough to be the morning keynote at our Behrend campus in Erie, PA. I absolutely love interacting and working with faculty from various locations of Penn State. I enjoyed the keynote session very much, but it was the informal conversation that I hosted afterwards that really made me smile. Talking with a smart and engaged group around teaching and learning is pure joy.

In this regional colloquy, Penn State Behrend faculty members will showcase the learning environment that had helped them engage students in their classes. These sessions will reflect the recent changes in learner characteristics, particularly how students learn using recent technologies. The event is intended to start a timely conversation on how to engage students in traditional classrooms, online, or via a combination of both. Featured speakers include Cole Camplese, Director of Teaching and Learning with Technologies of Penn State and Kris Wheaton, Associate Professor of Intelligence Studies of Mercyhurst University.

Keynote: 3/15/2012: Association of Collegiate Computing Services of Virginia

I have been invited to be one of three keynote speakers at the annual Association of Collegiate Computing Services of Virginia conference. I will be speaking about the nature of engagement in teaching and learning with technology. I will revisit thoughts from the past and work to integrate some new examples pulled from my work teaching CI 598 this semester and the Occupy Learning project in general.

Keynote: 3/1/2012: Pennsylvania Association of School Personnel Administrators

I have once again been invited to act as keynote speaker to the Pennsylvania Association of School Personnel Administrators. I last spoke to this group in February of 2010 and while much has changed, the messages are still similar — it is critical for us to find ways to engage at all levels of our educational system. This group is an interesting one in that these are not typically teachers working directly with students, but people whose jobs focus on making our schools a better place from an administrative perspective. I will do a survey of the current state of education technology, provide some concrete examples of how technology can support various modes of communication, and share some interesting stories from the Internet. I am looking forward to addressing this group once again.

Keynote: 7/7/2012: AACC Presidents Academy Summer Institute

I have been invited to be the keynote speaker for the AACC Presidents Academy Summer Institute (PASI). This an annual professional development program for CEOs/Presidents of member community colleges, provides intensive focus on current challenges, emerging trends, and opportunities unique to that position. I am planning to discuss the role of technology has in inspiring faculty and students in the contexts of teaching and learning. I am sure a big focus of the talk will be on the results of the CI 598 inspired Occupy Learning project and the associated outcomes.

Keynote: 9/29/2011: Pennsylvania Newspaper Association

I have been invited to speak to the PA Newspaper Association at their annual get together happening in State College, PA. I will be discussing the role of social media in creating new types of conversations as it relates to today and the future of news. I am sure I will have quite a bit to say about the events of Bloomsburg and the notion of the cone of silence surrounding small communities.  It should be a challenging and interesting opportunity.