ISTE Expands Reach Of NECC Through Online Communities

While thousands of attendees are participating in person at the International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE®) 29th annual National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) taking place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Conference Center in San Antonio, Texas, June 29 to July 2, online technology has made it possible for NECC to expand beyond the conference center's walls.

ISTE provides numerous educational and social resources to members through the virtual world Second Life, and this year the organization has also launched a NECC social networking site through Ning, an online platform where users can create customized social networks.

"People are coming into this conference continuing conversations that started on our island in Second Life, in the NECC community in Ning, and on other social networks," says Leslie Conery, NECC conference chair and ISTE deputy CEO. "We're also excited to see people who could not attend NECC in person participating in virtual conference activities and socializing with other technology educators."

Several NECC sessions and activities showcase the integration of virtual worlds with real world living and learning. These include:

Opening and closing reception in Second Life

Direct from San Antonio, ISTE presents mixed audio and video streams of the NECC opening and closing receptions, including a live concert by alternative country group One Horse Shy, for avatars on their Second Life island.

Virtual Alamo

ISTE unveils a virtual reproduction of San Antonio landmark, the Alamo, in Second Life. This project demonstrates how a historical monument can be recreated in a virtual world, giving students from all geographic locations a chance to explore the iconic building.

Second Life & virtual worlds playground

Second Life ambassadors are staffing an onsite conference location where attendees can explore stations for creating avatars, navigating the virtual world, using the program for professional development, and integrating Second Life into more traditional education practices.

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK–12 and teacher education.