Have you put the Elevate 2008 Conference on your calendar? Well, now it’s time to submit a proposal! The call for presenters just opened up and they are due in November. I’m really excited about this conference, because it’s in Banff, Alberta, my home province, and because the VCAlberta crew are doing some great things! Any excuse to videoconference with or actually travel to Canada!

So, I thought it might be fun to start a “presentation meme”. If you’re not familiar with memes in the blog world, it’s basically bloggers giving each other assignments. Here’s an example from David Warlick. (TWICE folks reading this, sound like a “professional growth opportunity” to you?)

I’m not on the conference planning committee or involved in any way, but I thought it would be interesting to make a list of people & sessions I’d like to see at the Elevate 2008 Conference. This is just a beginning brainstorm. You can continue it by commenting or making a list on your blog!

• Roxanne Glaser, TX a session on collaborative tools that support videoconferencing (like we’re using in Jazz etc.).
• Global Nomads Group, NY with the session including a simulation of Pulse like they did for us in Jazz last week.
• Jim Wenzloff, MI on the ASK process, with a live interview included. Make us cry with The Wall, Jim!
• Shane Howard, TX on how bridge guys can be fun and provide cool content too. How to hook up avatars to a Polycom PVX. How to work with creative educators and not lose your cool. Suggested Title: “How to support K12 videoconferencing with two MCUs and a sense of humor.”
• Bering Straits School District, AK, on how to provide cool content based in your community.
• Craig Moellerstein from GCI School Access, AK, on how to put a codec on a sled and VC to the world.
• Karachi High School on all the interesting VCs they are doing.
• Mike Griffiths, Global Leap, tips on successful international videoconferences.
• Joyce Chen on how to start a high school videoconferencing club.
• InteractiveClassroom.ca on how their collaborative community started/is doing and the state of VC in Ontario.
• Tim Boundy on UKERNA/JANET and how to collaborate with schools on UKERNA.
• The Megaconference Jr. crew on virtual testimonials, VJs, and how to organize student run VCs.
• Someone to do a clear explanation of the state of GDS dialing and a discussion of whether the K12 community ought to be embracing this dialing plan as a solution to firewall problems.
• Angela Conrad on class cheers and creative ways to help classes feel connected to each other. Maybe on podcasting IVC sessions too?
• A roundtable discussion of those who coordinate the videoconference sessions at their statewide/provincial edtech conferences. We could learn from each other and trade good ideas for speakers.
• I’d like to see our favorite content providers share best practices and models of quality instruction & interaction. Challenger Learning Center’s eMissions should present too!
• Carol Fleck and Kim Perry from OH from Keystone a few years ago for the full length classes crowd. They have more tricks for true interaction and blending the classes across the sites than anyone I’ve ever seen/heard present.
• A roundtable on Read Around the Planet technical problems with vendors coming to listen and learn. What if we all brought our wildest stories to share?! Wouldn’t that be fun!?
• Someone to try out my IP VCR projects in the new projects booklet & report on how they went.
• Dave Miller & Paul Hieronymous on their annual professional development series, one of the most in depth successful (i.e. 20-30 connections a year per teacher) PD programs I’ve seen.
• MAGPI – on Internet2 and all the cool collaborative things they are doing.

I’m sure you can think of many more! Comment or blog your ideas! And start planning now so that you can make it to Banff in August 2008. Figure out a way. It’s going to be an amazing experience I’m sure!