NEBRASKA DISTANCE LEARNING ASSOCIATION

November 15, 2004

 

 

Attending:     Pat Hoffman, Shirley Schall, Liz Hoffman, Max Thacker, Linda Wagner, Jim King, Tad Hunter, Carol Larsen

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:04 Shirley Schall moved that the minutes of the October 21, 2004, meeting be approved. Jim King seconded the motion; the motion carried.

 

Pat reported that she and Shirley met with Bobbie Johnson and Mary Lister at Mid Plains Community College on November 12, 2004. Shirley reported that they discussed with the people in North Platte the information that Carol and Shirley had provided at the previous meeting regarding recent conference experiences that they had and ways to incorporate these formats into the upcoming event in June. Talked about the time table for Thursday and Friday as well as a way to set up the sessions and what kind we are looking for. They were brainstorming some innovative names for the different tracks. Pat reported that they discussed that fewer tracks might work better, maybe three or four tracks. One suggestion was a combined telehealth and homeland security or a track called teaching and learning that would cover both on-line and distance teaching. Fast track to learning, coming to a station near you, boarding pass to the future. They also talked about what each track could contain. The North Platte group felt that they should pinpoint some presenters that could cover the areas they chose and then open up the conference RFP to anyone who had a topic they might want to bring in. The conference theme would be on the railroad and then the entertainment would be on the wild west Ð Buffalo Bill theme. A conference theme was suggested ÒDistance Learning in Nebraska Ð- On the Right Track.

 

They also looked at different ways to set up the schedule, and they thought it was very important to give the vendors ample time to meet with the attendees since they are coming all the way out to North Platte due to the distance from major airports. To that end, the committee thought that ½ hour breaks would be needed to provide an adequate time window. They also thought that the lunch would be an hour and a half hour of vendor time at lunch time. The vendors would be set up in the auditorium, and lunch will be served in the area. The auditorium can be secured so that they vendorsÕ equipment can be locked up. On the second day there will be a breakfast with the vendors to allow more time to talk to them.

 

Homeland security was an area that had been suggested for the keynote address. Max has the names of a couple of people who would be able to talk to this topic, and they would like to get that nailed down very quickly. The committee wants to get the post card out to people in December and make sure that they have the RFP up by the first of December and have all the presenters narrowed down by the middle of January.

 

Aimee was going to do a first contact with the vendors as soon as the information is available. Information will be forwarded to Aimee so that she can make the first contact with them to get it on their calendars for June 1, 2 and 3.

 

The people in North Platte also discussed doing multiple general sessions during the conference. At least two general sessions will be held, one on the first morning of the conference and then one in the afternoon on that day. It is possible a third one at lunch time on Friday.

 

On Wednesday night Òcracker barrelÓ sessions will be set up. As attendees are coming into town they can come and get themselves registered and then sit down, get acquainted and have discussions on specific topics. This is an alternative to the mini sessions that had not been as successful in the past few years.

 

Another topic discussed is that there are not many conference participants from the administrative side or student support issues. These topics will be in the teaching and learning track. CarolÕs experience with one room for each track will be used as a guideline for the conference.

 

Bob Huber from NET attended the meeting to discuss the technical track. Bob reported that he spoken to Mike Beach and they were thinking about what was done in the past as well as the datacasting. Another topic would be IP codecs that are in use at many sites now and will be coming in to other locations in the future. The committee felt that the topics suggested were good. They also discussed talking about HDTV. Bob reports that NET has been doing this for two years. Bob suggested that a topic could be the difference between the types of digital broadcasting. Infrastructure and state backbone were suggested as topics. Bob will check into getting someone to discuss these topics. Five or six sessions were suggested, and Bob will come up with presenters for them. Shirley suggested that if the sessions were repeated more people would have an opportunity to attend them.

 

Bob also talked about the NET program ÒCanteen SpiritÓ which was about the North Platte area and the troop trains visiting during World War II. This is a half hour PBS program. Bob will check if this could be used as a private showing and could be used at the Wednesday night event. It could also be used at the beginning of the conference as a way to get people to the event in time. Pat will work with Bobbie and Mary to see if they can find a room for the program to be shown in. Bob will check on availability. Bob will e-mail Pat with suggested titles and the presenters for the track. Pat will help work on the RFPs for the events.

 

The tentative conference schedule is as follows:

 

Wednesday June 1, 2005

Registration                                               6:00 p.m.

Cracker Barrel Sessions                   7:00 p.m. to 8:00p.m.

 

Thursday, June 2, 2005

Registration and Breakfast            8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

General Session                                     9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Break                                                             10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Session One                                              11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Lunch                                                            12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

General Session #2                             1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Break                                                             2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Session Two                                               3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

 

Friday, June 3, 2005

Breakfast w/vendors                        8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

General session                                     8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Break                                                             9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

Session One                                              9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

Session Two                                               10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Giveaways and Closing                 11:45 a.m.

 

On Thursday night there will be a catered dinner at the Buffalo Bill Ranch.

 

Mary Lister has a daughter who is graphic artist and she will help get together the graphic material for the conference. We will incorporate the old steam engines and Buffalo Bill Cody. This is a chance to bring the conference back around. It is hoped that this yearÕs attendance can be around 200. Liz wondered if it is possible to get the conference on the web site. Shirley reported that as soon as the main graphic is available, it will be on the web site. Liz suggested that a note go out to the list serve at that time. Shirley stated that they want to get the politician and dignitaries in the area on track before they start to put the word out. Since the bags are already bought and paid for, a large job is already completed.

 

The planning group thought it would be effective to have a panel session at some time in the conference made up of those who have shown support for distance learning. Suggested names were Heineman, Jerry Vapp, Tom Osborne, Chuck Hagel. Liz suggested including Doug Christensen as part of the panel. Bob reported that it takes a lot of lead time to get these kind of people to this kind of event. Liz volunteered to help with contacts. Tad expressed concern that the political panel might be a lot of work to organize. After discussion, it was suggested to limit it to Heineman, Jerry Vapp, and Christensen. Shirley suggested that maybe these people could be part of the statewide backbone presentations. Also suggested were Brenda Decker and Tom Rolfes. It was determined to try to form a panel with Vapp, Christensen, Decker and Rolfes to discuss the backbone and state infrastructure. An update session was suggested. It was suggested that Heineman be asked to do the lunch session on Thursday and focus on homeland security.

 

Max will provide information about the keynote for the first general session on Thursday. Heineman will speak at lunch on Thursday. Shirley and Carol were discussing a presentation by Francis Heimes regarding digital immigrants and digital natives. It is important to bring in speakers from outside of Nebraska. Carol will check on the availability of Ms Heimes for the first session on Thursday. The homeland security speaker could be used on Friday morning.

 

Pat is having the postcards printed. Bobbie and Mary will send them out. Peggy Duey will provide them with a list of previous attendees for mailing addresses. Liz suggested that committee members be available and willing to distribute additional postcards to increase the number of people who attend the conference. Various distribution methods were discussed. Pat will print 500 cards.

 

Max has a couple of names to provide that will be interesting. Ann Earon might also be available since she was slated to speak last year. Pat asked for a motion to approve the conference theme, ÒDistance Learning in Nebraska Ð On the Right Track.Ó Max provided the motion and Tad seconded; motion carried.

 

ByLaws Committee Shirley reported that in the changes that were recently made provisions were made to add another director. Max made a motion to add Lois Colburn to the NDLA Board of Directors for a term beginning May of 2006 for a two year term expiring in June 2008. Shirley provided a second, and the motion carried.

 

TreasurerÕs Report The current balance of the CD is $8265.95, and the checking balance is $4886.39 with an outstanding check for $240 leaving 4886.39. This is a total of $13,152.34. This balance reflects payment for the bags.

 

Bag Storage Bobbie and Mary are checking on storage of the bags at Mid Plains. Pat will provide Shirley with information on picking them up.

 

RFP Shirley will take responsibility for updating the RFP for the website and getting out for proposals. She will have this up by the first of December. Pat asked all board members to encourage everyone to fill out an RFP. In January a committee will have to be appointed to review them. Jim and Tad volunteered for this job. Shirley will mention the RFP to the distance learning consortium leaders to get more participation.

 

Pat Hoffman will e-mail Sarah Cunningham, Max Thacker, and Tad Hunter to get some ideas for presenters for the telehealth track. Max reported that there are some mini conferences in February and grow them into the NDLA conference in June.

 

NDE Report Work is underway to obtain a $10 million grant to upgrade the distance learning pods. Plans are underway to work with the legislature on this very important plan.

 

Pat asked for a volunteer to look at the ideas for the tracks and come up with some titles and also some presentation ideas. Tad volunteered to do so. The North Platte group would also like to see a session on the new way of work. The group was very excited by this idea.

 

The next meeting will be held via videoconference on December 16, 2004.