FAQ about MDMC2007

Who should come to the conference?

This conference is designed for K-12 teachers, Library Media Specialists, Principals, Curriculum Coordinators and Students. Both platforms, Mac and PC (and now even Linux J) will be supported. All comfort levels with technology are encouraged to attend. Students grade 7-12 can attend the entire conference with their teacher. There is a student strand for grades 3-6 on Tuesday, July 29th. Students must attend with their teacher. Students will be creating a digital media product at the zoo with their teacher.

Can I take the conference for credit multiple times?

Yes! The course is designed and approved by Cardinal Stritch to be repeatable, so participants can take the course multiple time. This is due the evolving nature of digital media. Each year the conference will focus on slightly different technologies and will provide learners with opportunities to learn new skills.
Participants have the option of taking the course for two graduate credits from Cardinal Stritch University. Registration for credit will be handled onsite on the second day of the conference (Tuesday, July 29th, 2008). The cost of the credits is $300. Cardinal Stritch accepts personal checks and major credit cards.

How is this year’s conference different than last year’s conference?

This year the theme of the conference is The Power of Us: Creating the Future Together. We will be working on digital photography, digital mapping, creating wikis and vodcasts together. This year the content we will be creating sharable learning objects for K-12 students.

We will be spending more time outdoors walking around the zoo collecting media, so dress appropriately.

What if I’m brand new to digital media and don’t even know what most of the stuff on the web site is about?

Everyone coming to the conference will be at a different comfort level with technology and digital media. Not everyone in your group needs to become an expert in every technology. This is why the conference is repeatable. Maybe at this conference you will become an expert at making a podcast or posting to a wiki. In a future years, you may choose to come to the conference again and learn more about how to make a video enhanced podcast or a movie. Assignments will be shared between members. For example, two team members may want to learn about how to edit the sound files of the podcast, while two other members may want to work on taking and editing digital photos of the exhibit. Our main goal in the conference is to get educators to think differently about providing real world relevant learning experiences for students.

What type of technical support will be available to help me at the conference?

  • Each group of 3-5 members will be assigned an instructor for the conference. Your assigned instructor will also be checking in with you throughout the week to check on your progress, help with technical support issues and troubleshooting, and to give feedback and assistance to your group as you move through the process.

What equipment do I need for the conference?

Everyone needs to have a wireless laptop. Both Mac and PC has free software that comes with your operating system that you can use during the conference. During the opening keynote we will be explaining and demonstrating what the different software does so that you can decide what you might want to learn about and work with during the conference. If you have a PC, we would like you to download a free program called Audacity prior the conference at http://audacity.sourceforge.net along with a Lame MP3 encoder found at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/windows . You can also visit the Equipment page for other recommendations of equipment to bring to the conference.

What advice do you have for people coming to the conference?

Tammy Lind, an instructor for the conference, has this advice for participants:

  • Come ready to work as a team and to really work with your teammates.
  • You should also come ready to have fun with your teammates. Also be willing to laugh at yourself because we all know that technology doesn’t always do what we want it to.
  • Come willing to learn new things and things you may not have had experience with.