Web 2.0 Initiatives at the CoSN Conference

We have a number of exciting Web 2.0 initiatives planned for the CoSN Conference this week.

CoSN Exchange

CoSN has a new social networking platform for CoSN Members called CoSN Exchange.
is a social networking application free for CoSN members. CoSN Exchange makes it easy for you to set up your own CoSN web page and have content of your choice delivered to you. It gives you the ability to network with colleagues, create special interest groups and discussions around topics that matter to you. CoSN Exchange also interfaces with personal social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and LinkedIn making it easy for you to connect.
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You can access CoSN Exchange at http://tiny.cc/cosnexchange161 .

In order to use CoSN Exchange you need to log-into the CoSN Website. If you have never logged-in before you need to click on create an account.

If you have logged-in but have forgotten your username or password click on forgotten password and it will be emailed to you.

There will be workshops on CoSN Exchange in the vendor hall at 10:00am and 2:15pm on March 1st and 10:00am March 2nd.


Twitter

Follow CoSN at http://www.twitter.com/cosn .

Add #cosn2010 to your tweets at the conference.

We have set up a Twub (twitter hub) at for the conference that will gather all of the tweets with #cosn2010 in one place. You can join the Twub at http://twubs.com/cosn2010 .

Not a twitter user? No problem, you can also follow the twub via your email.


We will be posting the best tweets of the conference at the closing plenary at the conference on Tuesday.

CoSN Hub
This year we have an area next to the main registration desk set up for members to network with one another both face-to-face and virtually.

I’ll be hanging out in the hub and will be available to help with Basecamp, CoSN Exchange, Twitter and Twub. If you’d like to have your picture taken for your CoSN Exchange page, I’ll also have a digital camera there for you to use.

The hub has wireless access and computer email stations as well. Please stop by and say hi. I’d love to hear your ideas about how CoSN can further leverage Web 2.0 tools in our organization.

Some of the celebrities scheduled to be in the hub include:

Monday, March 1
• 7:30-8:30 am Donna Boivin, CoSN Board member
• 8:30-11am Joan Kowal & Katie Lovett, Empowering 21st Century Superintendents Initiative and Data-drive Decision Making Initiative
• 11-noon Linda Sharp, Cyber Security and Crisis Preparedness Leadership Initiatives
• 1-2pm Christopher Brown & Emerging Technology Committee
• 3-4 pm K. David Weidner, Small District Technology Leadership Initiative
• 4-5 pm Rich Kaestner, TCO, VOI and Green Computing Leadership Initiatives

Tuesday, March 2
• 10-11am Ed Zaiontz, CoSN Board chair
• 11-noon Judy Salpeter, editor CoSN Compendium
Marla Davenport, CoSN Board member
• Noon-1 pm Rich Kaestner, TCO, VOI and Green Computing Leadership Initiatives
• 1-3:30pm Bev White, past CoSN Board member

Google Moderator

This year CoSN will be using Google Moderator in the International Symposium to make it more participatory.

Responsible Use Policies

A couple of weeks ago I had a great conversation with David Jakes, the Coordinator of Instructional Technology at Glenbrook South High School in the hallway at the CoSN annual conference in Austin. Mr. Jakes was proposing the idea that schools should have responsible use policies instead of acceptable use policies.

This was in line with some of the comments made by one of the panelists at the International Symposium who talked about the need for schools to share risk meaning that schools should not be the only ones responsible for risk management of the Internet.

I read another good quote this week that falls into this category when I was preparing for my presentation on How New Media is Changing the Way We Learn for the WEMTA Conference.

"The Web is not a babysitter, it’s not a friendly place full of rocking chairs and whittling, but with the right parenting and sensible precautions children and teens can use the Web safely” (“MySpace Deemed Harmful to Children...Well, Duh”, http://websearch.about.com/b/a/217893.htm).

I think we are going to see a lot of shifts in AUPs and school's approach to Internet safety in the next five years.

CoSN Horizons Emerging Technologies Forum

The Consortium of School Networking is hosting an online technologies forum on emerging technologies likely to have considerable impact on K-12 teaching and learning. Please join this exciting conversation by going to http://www.cosn.org/Communities/Forums/tabid/4432/Default.aspx and signing-up to participate in the forum. A username, password and directions on how to access the forum will be emailed to you.

Subscribe to CoSN Twitter

CoSN now has its own Twitter account. To follow Twitter updates go to CoSN Twitter Feed on the Left Side of my blog and click "follow me on Twitter".