The post-PodCamp conversation
The conversation about ways to exploit the unconference model as well as reinvent the PodCamp format continues. Not surprisingly, the first out of the gate are the PodCamp founders.
Chris Brogan has put up a post called Thoughts for Future Podcamps in which he endorses the Zero to Podcasting track (unveiled at PodCamp Toronto) as a way to help newcomers and veterans with their new media skills and strategies. He also throws his support behind Whitney Hoffman’s push for PodCamp verticals as a great way to cater to the unique qualities of various communities of interest (a great idea!!!) .
Chris Penn blogged about some of the great ideas that were incorporated into NewBCamp this past weekend (Reflections on NewBCamp 08). The one that struck me as most interesting is Sara Streeter’s Speed Mentoring, modeled after Speed Dating.
I often talk about relationships and connections on my blog. I see the PodCamp-inspired initiatives (Speed Mentoring and Tommy Vallier’s Mentorship Lounge) to connect individual newcomers and veterans as the best chance to ignite both levels of experience through co-operative and bi-directional mentorship opportunities. This is what the veterans need to reinvigorate themselves with the passion and enthusiasm that newcomers bring to the community.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:45 am
We forget as veterans that this stuff is still so new, or not even known to people outside the fishbowl or bubble. At NewBCamp, people stood up at introductions and intro’ed with sentences like, “Hi, I’m X and I know nothing about computers. I’m here to learn.”
Podcasting is FAR, far off for someone who doesn’t know what the mouse is.
More important, as veterans we need to always remember and honor the courage that someone like the above participant brings to the table - to stand up in front of 80 people and say you know nothing and need help is a bold thing in a community which often ridicules a lack of knowledge.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I think something else is going to happen in this space: I think we’re going to move into areas that aren’t about making audio and video and putting it up on a blog. Just a thought, and maybe it’s going to be a side dish, but I predict there will be more mixed tech at these events.
Still tons about how to use Levelator, but maybe some Quicksilver in there, too. : )
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
[…] my reflections on our second year doing this event. Community leaders including Chris Brogan and Mark Blevis have blogged their thoughts, and we had some great conversation on TalkShoe last night for the 2008 […]