My proposal to host a symposium at IATEFL, Brighton next year has been accepted!!!
This post is actually a call for your papers so that you too can become a part of this event and help host the conversation.
Here's a rough draft of what the five presentations will look like:
The ELT Blogosphere
1. Blogging within a community: (me)
From a handful of early adopters in 2003 to over 200 TEFL teachers blogging by mid-2010, we'll be looking at the writers who are driving the ELT blogosphere. Where are they based? What are they discussing, who visits their pages and comments on their posts? Why do they spend so much time on them - what motivational factors are involved in keeping a personal web log and updating it daily, weekly, monthly?
How do these bloggers find, connect and support each others personal growth? Why?
2. Blogging as Teacher Tinkering: (you?)
In Tessa Woodward’s 2010 plenary, she raised the point that motivated teachers continue experimenting throughout their entire careers. This presentation will look at how TEFLers share their philosophies about teaching, with other teachers via their blogs, and how they exchange approaches and experiment with tools and technology in their classrooms.
How and what lessons do they have to share?
How has blogging become a part of their personal professional development?
3. Blogging as Teaching (with or for students): (you?)
More and more teachers are involving students in the process of keeping personal notebooks online instead of traditional paper. How are teachers leaving homework and post-task activities for their learners? What impact does this have on their autonomy? How do teachers involve their language learners in writing for an audience?
What problems have they faced? Is it possible for e-community leaders to motivate thousands of globally non-connected students in writing challenges? What methods do teachers use to track and correct their own students’ work and how do they find subjects which will keep them motivated, writing across differing ages and backgrounds?
What happens when students take on an ownership of their own blogs?
4. Blogging: Audiences, Reputation, Marketing & Money (you?)
By 2009, a number of publishers, global institutions and VIP authors began to notice the value in the two-way communication which blogs represent and they began joining in. Does blogging have any influence over brands or professional author reputation? How do teacher-trainers and authors continue instructing after a presentation or conference?
What negative implications can poorly chosen communication strategies represent to their global regularly reading audience?
Does blogging lead to any kind of financial reward?
5. Taking the Issues to the Blogs: (you?)
From 2009 to 2011 a number of bloggers began to write about the harder hitting issues in the TEFL industry: pay, pensions, NNEST vs NEST, gender and racism in ELT. What were some of their posts about and what were the responses of their readers? Did they take things too far?
Should the blogosphere simply be touchy-feely diary style type of place (a love-fest) or does controversy and politics play a role in dealing with issues, reaching consensus and initiating action?
How to become a special part of this event
Would you like to be one of the presenters? I am hoping to choose 4 bloggers who'll have around 20mins each to talk on their special area of interest + about 10minsQ&A with our audience... so if you're keen, could you please make your submission directly to IATEFL (who will send them on to me if you have fulfilled their requirements)?
And don't forget to entitle your presentation with one of the above draft topics (not fixed - if you have a better idea or you would like to expand the subject and go in a different direction, don't hesitate to submit this idea) and do kindly remember to mark on your submission that you would like to take part in the symposium!
DEADLINE : 17 September 2010
More details on the IATEFL Brighton Conference 2011 (here)
Let me know your thoughts!
Best,
Karenne
educationimage credit: Women of WiFi, after Caillebotte by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com on Flickr
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Karenne, I am really interested in helping with this. I am interested in contributing with the "Blogging as Teacher Tinkering" idea. I started blogging a few months ago and find it a great spring-board to bounce ideas. Anyhow, I am starting my MA in ELT course at Sussex Uni and will be blogging about my experiences. Perhaps this could contribute with the "Teacher Tinkering" presentation.
Sounds very cool, Martin - submit your proposal to IATEFL :) - they'll have to go through them all first before I get a look-see!
Not volunteering, as get too nervous during conference presentations, but my folks still live in Brighton so might pop along
I thought you were looking to change jobs and lives and all that, Alex (by the way tweeted and FB'd your request)... could be fun....could be lots of fun.. think it over, you know where the site is :)
Congratulations, dear Karenne! Who but you should host this great event!
I am so pleased!
Ta, Marisa,
Have to confess I'm already freaking out about whether or not anyone will even apply to join it or if it'll just be me up there with my mug talking for 2.5hours!!!
And I'm so so so so hoping that IATEFL don't do something like schedule this at the same time as Meddings and Thornbury!
(They're doing a symposium on dogme that I really want to attend!)
Anyway, crossing fingers they'll be lots of bloggers with lots to say about how much our worlds have changed so much since coming online!
:)
K
Congratulations Karenne! I'm afraid I won't be able to make it but I'm looking foraward to updates via Twitter. Blogging is a new means worth researching.
Hi K,
I agree with Marisa C - who but you?
Congratulations!
Sure you'll get lots of proposals.
I am happy for you :)
Congratulations, Karenne. Will probably be rabbiting about something else there, but will certainly come along as a punter. Good luck.
Great idea Karenne!! I would love to apply but it will be impossible to travel.
Looking forward to following you via differente Web 2.0 tools.
I am sure you will shine :-)
Thank you Ana & Johanna! Do hope they'll be a way for you guys to watch + participate Jen & Marisa - I think Brighton Online looks like it's going to be bigger than last years so cross fingers, it should be at least twittered!!
Congratulations for your initiative! Excellent!!!
Sounds very cool, Karenne, and sure you'll be magnificent. Would like to be involved, but couple things holding back: one, only still a whippersnapper of a blog writer at the moment, so not sure there's anything I could say of note; two, will probably be involved in something else there, and not sure if you're allowed to do two things (it's not very clear to me in the guidelines...)
Anyways, I'll be there like Johanna, cheerin' you on =)
:) Mike... now you've gone and made me realize that I better cross my fingers for an audience too - not just presenters!!!
But no - one isn't allowed to do a presentation on two things while at IATEFL so it really has to be only this one - however according to the guidelines if someone isn't selected for the symposium (e.g. 7 people submit to present but I am only able to choose 4 or max 5) then those two or three would still be able to present on something else.
:-) Thanks Mercedes!
Hi there
In holiday mode, but just popping my head up to add my "well done" to you for this. A blogging symposium sounds like a great idea. If I'm still there that day (the symposiums have often been on the very last day of the conference) then will definitely come along!
Have missed you, Lindsay! Um 2011 they're going to do something different and spread all the symposiums across the four main days instead! See you there!
Well done, Karenne. This sounds very7 exciting. Let us know how we can help out along the way.
Congratulations & well done, Karenne!
Would love to be involved in this in some way.
Blogging as teaching (3) is a fairly big part of what I do, though I think applying to take part in a symposium for my first national conference presentation might be a little on the ambitious side... will mull it over & we'll see.
As with your presentation this year, I expect it to be one of the highlights for me, & am sure it will be!
Sue :-)
Go girl! Fantastic news - you'll be great!
If there's anything I can help with (short of presenting) please do let me know.
Thanks for forwarding my impending job change/ unemployment, looks like it might bear some fruit!
This is going to be a fantastic symposium. Hope to see you and many of your readers there! Thanks for bringing forward such an important topic, Karenne.
Dear Karenne
Sorry I'm a bit late, but many congratulations on the acceptance of your speaker proposal for a symposium at IATEFL Brighton. The symposium ideas sound absolutely fantastic and I am sure you will get lots of responses. I am very happy for you as it's a huge stage. It will be great!
Thank you so much everyone - scary!!! Have been biting my nails hoping that I get submissions (though I do know one special person who's applying ;-)))
K