Ready for adventure? Affirmative. Uncharted and unknown territory ahead! Let’s go!

Today my sister Lisa and I packed up our suitcases, devices and chargers, and drove to Madison, Wisconsin for the Digital Pedagogy Lab Institute. We soon will be joining other educators, librarians, designers and those interested in the application of digital technology in learning, and together will explore praxis, identity and networks.

As I completed my suggested reading assignments earlier this week for the networks track, I was impressed by the applicability of the articles and was moved to consider the effects that digital networking has had on my life, both professionally and personally. The invitation to be an onsite buddy at DigPedLab with Virtually Connecting has already provided a learning and application opportunity.  As onsite buddies, my sister and I will host Google Hangout sessions for virtual and onsite conference attenders and speakers throughout the week.

Our experience began with an initial meeting, where, from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, we joined Maha Bali in Egypt, Rebecca Hogue in California, and AK in Boston. The group planned the initial schedules and roughly outlined what would happen during this weeklong institute. I quickly became immersed in GoogleDocs, email activity, tweets and retweets, and interactive messenger discussions. I was participating in and building on a digital network and loved it. I was learning and growing with people I had never met in a face to face environment. I’m looking forward to further building those networks, and connecting with others, in addition to exploring the ways that networks enhances the learning environment in the sessions.