SXSWedu Day #2 rundown

Anyone happening on this post because of the SXSWedu title, please know I am no writer...

So this post Im writing much later than last night and under a completely different disposition. Today was a bit less inspiring. Great...but less yesterday. But one thing today did have over yesterday was an experience. There are many links in this post here; feel free to click on them. But especially the video I made today.


Here's the rundown. But there is no possible way I can articulate the awesomeness (in my mind) of each of these things. But I'll give it a try.

Todays sessions were todays sessions. The morning was filled with a little Scratch.mit.com learning. I made a dance video in about 30 minutes. It looks like it, but I have never created in this fashion before. If you watch this video, first click the green flag and then I think you have to click the space bar to get it to start. And its a continuous loop, so shut it off whenever you get sick of me. Which will likely be after about 5-6 seconds.

Next I went to a mentor session with Brooke Miller. She used to curate content for Khan academy and now is in the content building video world. I too am doing these things, so she gave me some great insight on some things to use to make the videos just a little better.


There was no time for lunch AGAIN today, because I was off to a panel discussion with a few of my favorite youtubers. Tyler Dewitt and Paul Andersen are my go to science guys when I need a little more than the curriculum or myself can offer when it comes to higher level science. I got to meet them and take selfies with them which was a little more fun that it should have been. I had a nerdy geeky celeb sighting feeling I hated having.

Paul Andersen

Tyler Dewitt

From this discussion, a couple more sessions, and then I met The Dan Rather. I got to let him know I was disappointed he wasn't reporting anymore and that I would really like to know what he thought about the campaigning.
He said, "Hun, I don't know much, but it looks like we'll be in for a rough four years no matter what."

Telling me about the future state of the US

After Rather, or Dan as we that know him like to call him...I was off to my last session of the day, which was NOT the session I thought it was going to be. I did, however, end up taking the most notes for the day in this session. It was about these new tech-integrated schools, but when I say tech, I mean like welding, podcasting, and maker-like schools.

I went to dinner with our very own Golden Boy of Oklahoma, Shawn Sheehan. He would probably shrug his shoulders that anyone would call him as such, but that is just because he's a humble guy that is just a regular schmoe.

From here I say I will have one drink at the after party...because it will be free. Well, In the after-hours establishment. I meet a lady whom I have talked to for 5 minutes who says she is having dinner with a few other people, she has room for another 2 people and grabs the other person I met that day and says, please come and me. Sooo, I went. As it turns out, she is the CEO of PARCC, and I was at the table with 7 other people who were all movers and shakers of their compartments in the education world. We all exchanged stories and cards. We all agreed to help each other out. She bought the table dinner and two hours later...it was done. I walked the long walk back to the hotel and am trying to get all of this out before I go to sleep. Its 12:30, but if I don't get it out...tomorrow it would not have been as exciting to write about. I might have glazed over a portion. Maybe some of you are thinking she could have glazed a bit more over this post.