FSU Prominent at AECT ConferenceBy Donna M. Gabrielle 
The Association of Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) held its second international conference of the year in Denver, Colorado October 25 - 28, 2000. Dozens of students and faculty from Florida State University's Instructional Systems program attended the conference, many of whom were also presenters and volunteers. Some made the 1700-mile trek by car, but most flew to the event. The majority of sessions encouraged active participation, discussion, and debate by attendees. It was standing room only at the session "Constructivists vs. Objectivists: A Debate," mediated by FSU professor Robert Reiser. Another particularly engaging and participatory session was "In Search of the Meaning of Learning," headed by Jan Visser with panelists including his daughter, FSU graduate student Yusra Visser. Additional information on this presentation can be found at http://www.learndev.org. Another presentation, "What SHOULD Web Templates Do? The Battle Rages On," included a panel discussion led by professors Walt Wager and Marcy Driscoll, who is also President of the AECT. Panel members were Margie DeBroux, Donna Gabrielle, Conrad Gleber, Doretta Gordon, Kathy Ingram, David Nelson, Roberto Perez, Tammy Pfister, Josephine Raybon, and Scott Schaffer. There were many other sessions led by people connected to FSU including Judd Butler, Christine DePascale, Dan Schuch, Samantha Tackett, Joyce Kincannon, Alan Stromberg, John Braswell, Lya Visser, Robert Branson, and several others. The conference was a virtual who's who in the world of instructional systems, educational communications, and technology. Participants were able to hear the latest research and interact with the likes of Allison Rossett, Charles Reigeluth, David Jonassen, Edward Caffarella, and Keynote speaker Jane Healy. The conference included a large trade show at the nearby convention center, an international hospitality center, a job placement center, a graduate student center, and an international dinner and auction. Three FSU students were also conference volunteers: Donna Gabrielle, Kyung Hwa Kang, and Roberto Perez. The volunteers worked at the sessions setting up A/V equipment and at the registration desk. There were hundreds of sessions offered, but most ISers work hard so they can play hard, and socializing in Denver was no exception. The ECT Foundation Gala opened with the extremely talented comedy improvisation troupe Impulse Theater, which got the audience participating and laughing. Afterwards, it was especially fun to see Driscoll and Wager "boogying" on the dance floor with other attendees! The following evening a dozen conference participants gathered at a local spot with the Seminole Club of the Rockies to watch the FSU football game. The mission of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology is to provide leadership in the field by linking professionals with a common interest in the use of educational technology and its application to the learning process. Toward that mission, the AECT conference was informative and fun, and it also afforded many opportunities for discussion, debate, and networking. Its success is a testament to the strong leadership at the organization, which is currently headed by Marcy Driscoll. The conference chair was professor Charles Stoddard of Utah State University, who brought many student volunteers to the conference. For more information about AECT, visit http://www.aect.org. If you are interested in participating in electronic discussions about the field, primarily by graduate students representing universities from around the world, visit http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/aect-gs. |