This year’s Symposium is only five weeks away, and I’m starting to feel the excitement. Being on the inside of the event is, in some ways, a real eye opener, if only to see just how finely tuned this production is. The attention to details is amazing, and I’m really starting to get a sense of just why it takes so many people to make this event the milestone it is each year.
One of the pieces I’ve been a part of is the creation of the new name badges. Not your typical conference badges, these are sleek black badges with the Penn State shield in silver, and my name as I want it to appear. Nice, huh? These are permanent badges that can then be used at any Penn State events we attend. But what I really love about them is this: one side shows my Penn State professional side with the shield and my name, while the other side reflects my social side–the event hashtag (#psutlt) and my Twitter ID, @robin2go. No worries if an attendee doesn’t have a Twitter ID, but I like the fact that I can add it if I have one, because then people can see my online ID and connect with me that way. What’s more, the social side has space for our event moo stickers, which have become a tradition at the symposium for several years. Once we check into the registration desk, we’ll have the opportunity to choose the stickers that reflect our participation in our community. Podcasting? There’s a sticker for that. Openness, collaboration? There’s stickers for those, too. Or perhaps you’re a fan of a particular Teaching and Learning with Technology event. There will be stickers for those as well. Clearly, I’m excited about these badges. You can be too–just head on over to the Customize Your Badge page and fill out three questions. That’s all there is to it. And when we get to the Symposium, we’ll all be looking like rock stars.
