ICDE 2017In the end more than 1400 delegates gathered to discuss distance education topics at this conference. In one way I found the amount of information overwhelming, but in another it meant a great opportunity to share information and perhaps start new partnerships in further developing our understanding of good design. So amongst all the delegates, my focus became to connect with other ID’s. To learn what they were doing and how they envisioned using technology and design issues. I was fortunate enough to meet a number of the presenters in the hallways to have more indepth conversations about their work. It’s important to keep in mind that these massive conferences are made up of individuals who come to learn and share, so in this instance, I found people to be very open to engage with.
Conference proceedings including all the abstracts and presentation from presenters will be available online by November 30 according to conference organizers. And some very interesting research papers are still available. Research reports are written by some of the DE thought leaders over the past years like Steven Downes and Tony Bates. Check them out here.
In the end a good conference should make you feel energized with ideas. I’ve reconnected with presenters in Canada, US and Mexico and look forward to seeing where these new connections will lead. Good job ICDE organizers for providing this opportunity to connect. The next steps are up to us attendees to keep the momentum going. And apparently the next conference is in Dublin in 2019. Guinness anyone?