6th Annual Michigan Handheld Conference

I received this email from Ric Wiltse with the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning:

As a participant in last year's 5th Annual Michigan Handheld Computers in Education conference, I know that you'd be interested in attending this year's 6th Annual conference to be held at Washtenaw ISD in Ann Arbor (MI) on November 9-11. Online registration is now available at http://www.macul.org/page.php?pid=83.

We have a great program lined up for this year's conference. Our keynote speakers are Dr. Elliot Soloway and Dr. Cathie Norris, speaking on Big Change for $mall ¢hange. Other breakout sessions will be presented by Mike Curtis, Christine Tomasino, Mark van't Hooft, Steve Best, Jason Carnes, Richard Vath, Paula Sarratt, Sue Hardin, Jane Frank, Mike Glumac, Susan Roustan, and Monique Shorr.

Topics to be covered at the conference include assessment; probeware; Palm OS aps; reading, science and social studies support, handhelds, iPods and Podcasting, and much, much more. For a complete list, link to http://www.macul.org/page.php?pid=88.

The conference schedule includes a preconference day of half day workshops on Thursday, November 9, the conference on Friday, November 10 and a special post conference for pre and inservice educators on Saturday, November 11.

Our preconference (11/9/ workshop topics include Advanced resources for the handheld, including eBooks and web-based content; Vocabulary activities for any content area, Successful grant writing for classroom technology, Data and multimedia resources for the handheld, Planning for ubiquitous technology, classroom assessment with handhelds, and Handheld computers in the social studies classroom.

Exhibits will be on Friday (11/10) and the conference is sponsored by MACUL Washtenaw ISD, as well as our corporate sponsors Apple, EasyGraphics, Edutek Midwest, Pasco, Prismworks and Qwizdom. Costs for MACUL members for the preconference workshops are $45/each, and the Friday conference is $85, including lunch. The post conference is only $25 ($10 for students). For the Thursday and Friday events, non-MACUL members pay an additional $20 for a membership that extends through next April.

It will be another outstanding Michigan Handheld Computers in Education conference that you won't want to miss. We hope to see you there! Again, to register online, link to http://www.macul.org/page.php?pid=83.

Ric Wiltse, Executive Director
Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning
http://www.macul.org

The Michigan Handheld Computer conference has been one of the best conferences for handheld computing and I highly suggest attending. In fact, the conference has been mentioned several times in this blog:

• Soft Reset #5: Michigan Conference
• Michigan Conference: License Plates, Geeks, & Handouts
• Bird of a Feather

This year's conference will be the first Michigan Handheld Computers in Education conference I have not presented at in a couple of years (please let the organizers know if you'd like to see me at next year's conference). To those who attend: I look forward to reading your blog postings from the conference!

Comments

[Instructor-Wendy Gallagher]

I was very disappointed when I saw you would not be the keynote speaker. The Michigan hh conference & your presentations were a big reason why we implemented handheld technology in our school. I brought my administration & teachers to the conference.They all were so impressed by your knowledge that there was no hesitation in buying handheld computers for the classroom. Thanks for being so inspiring...

[Tony Vincent]

Thanks for the kind words, Wendy. I think it will be beneficial for the conference to have a different keynote speaker this year. Elliot Soloway and Kathy Norris have a strong message. My school would not have gotten involved with handhelds if it wasn't for their presentation in Nebraska in 2001. Plus, since they are from Michigan and it is a Michigan conference, it's a great fit.

I do hope to make it to next year's conference!