voices from converge: the EGIT story

One of the hardest things for a LearnScope Manager is to find funding for some of the great ideas that staff come with for projects mid-year. By then, all the funding has been handed out to project groups and the cupboard is bare!



This year, however, I managed to find a little extra to fund a previously forgotten mid-year project – attending ConVerge. After last year’s excellent Eureka, how could I have forgotten?



A record (for us) eight staff were bundled into a Tarago (eight in a Tarago is also a record, we feel) and headed off for the big city. Six toilet stops and four Happy-meals later, we were in Sunshine. This upset one of the travellers, who thought we were going to the sunshine and was looking forward to Sea World, but all was forgiven as we booked into our luxurious 2 star accommodation. We even had our own bed.



ConVerge was excellent. Food was delicious, session timings spot on and presentations varied and informative. Keynote speakers were of a very high standard and we even experienced Coach Carole singing (ok, not everything was perfect!).



Our group was comprised of eLearning support staff and LearnScope project members.



Positives of the Conference for our staff were:



A feeling that Victorian eLearning had achieved maturity
The opportunity to network, especially with those outside our normal grouping ie teachers normally network with teachers and not with designers, administrators, etc.
Realisation that you are not alone in your difficulties and that others may have an answer for you
Opportunity to see others doing what you are doing – but differently.
Opportunity for us to have a four hour eLearning meeting in each direction!
Opportunity to immerse yourself in all things “e” for a few days
Great info sessions – difficult to access normally, especially for a regional TAFE


Looking forward to the Gordon in 07 - we already have staff keen to present! Will LearnScope be able to fund a double decker full of staff?

Paul Mlynarz

PS
Comment in the Tarago on the way home – “Imagine having Dame Edna Everage talking to us – pity that Clint chap missed it”.