PatSine

I've been sitting in a wonderful session today at Princeton called The Future of Children. This is all focused around the latest edition of the journal Children and Electronic Media.

Besides the presentations, there are many laptops around the room. Many of the attendees are participating in backchannels. Some of the sessions were Ustreamed. The people in the room contacted friends and colleagues around the world who couldn't attend and they are all in the chats as well. Note, that this is all the work of the conference attendees, not the conference conveners.

All of the people I see clicking around me are engaged and exchanging interesting insights in the chats. And they are all concerned both about their own learning and that of their colleagues. The chats are posted -- by the presenters and participants -- at various blogs.

• CoolCatTeacher, Vicki Davis
• Kristin Hokanson at the Connected Teacher
• maybe others

Of course, I'm also checking email and I come across this headline.

University nixes web access during class: Officials see internet as a distraction for students in eSchool News

Banning internet access in classrooms, Levmore said, would restore basic rules of politeness and professional etiquette between students and professors.

The people I see are using their computers to check figures, to collect links and readings for themselves and others (like Ann Oro's del.icio.us links tagged 08Princeton) , and amplifying their own learning by actively discussing the presentation as a way to get the information into its proper context in their own minds.

This was a great day, enhanced by the informal interaction with a great group of caring educators!