"It's when things are going [economically] down that people start to say I have to work together with other people in ways that I didn't have to before. And so I think we're in pretty good shape now that some the economy stuff is in trouble. [This will] cause some changes that really wouldn't have if we were floating around being a little bit more wealthy."

Erin O'Connell (rapid fire speaker), Classics and Comparative Literature Teacher, University of Utah

"[In my class] students learn that the name for the [Iliad's] epic singer was Rhapsode and he relied only on a rhabdos (a wooden staff) to beat out a simple rhythm to keep time. The similarity between Rhapsode and rap is probably coincidental but it's very cool and it gets their attention."

All of our Big Ideas Fest 2009 speaker videos are up, please check them out!

We're off and running with plans for this year's Big Ideas Fest December 5-8, at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, CA and it's going to be fantastic. Consider this your "save the date" email! This year promises engaging presentations and a few new design elements added to the Action Collabs. In addition, we've added more time for networking and catching your breath in between all the exciting activities.

Big Ideas in Motion

When brainstorming on new ideas and directions for education, the 2009 Fest proved how important it is to have a variety of voices at the table. To say we were impressed with the caliber of education stakeholders would be an understatement. Participants came from non-profits (23%), for-profits (24%), K-12 institutions (23%), higher education intuitions (14%), foundations (6%), and government (6%). Survey respondents across the board reported that they greatly valued the non-hierarchical collaboration that encouraged participation from all professional levels of stakeholders.

We're also thrilled to report that one of the cohorts from last year's Action Collabs continues to work on their design of The Learning Navigator, a tool that empowers and connects multiple stakeholders to an individual student's education, accessed online and through mobile devices. Any other Action Collabs with a lifespan outside of the Fest? Please let us know as we are currently developing resources to support post-Fest collaboration.

The Buzz on Big Ideas

During Big Ideas Fest 2009, participants reported that Action Collabs helped them experienced the power of innovative brainstorming and design and at the same time, being pushed to step out of their comfort zones. We've had many requests for information on how people can implement Action Collabs for their own events and professional communities, and are happy to report that the tools are coming your way soon. We hope to have our Action Collab Facilitator Manual available this summer.

For more information, please visit: www.bigideasfest.org 

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