I dashed down the platform for the Leeds train, dragging my suitcase and laptop bag in a frantic rush to catch the train that they said had already left. It was raining slightly above the protective cover of the Manchester airport walkways. They know about rain in England, all right.

I made it! Helpful hands hauled me aboard and I opened up my Mac—to find there was no wifi! (Californians are so spoiled.) Oh well, might as well enjoy the beautiful English countryside of backyard gardens and then rolling green fields. “Oh, to be in England, now that April’s there!”

Sent a text to Paul Sweeney, chair of LT SIG, and Nicky Hockly, my hosts at the LT SIG Pre-conference Event, telling them to swap Nicky’s and my presentation times because I was going to make it after all. My plane out of Portland, where I was attending the TESOL Convention, had been delayed for 5 hours because of mechanical problems (a light wouldn’t go on or off), and Nicky and I drank coffee at the PDX Bucky’s and commiserated. She got a flight out to London, but then had to go back to Barcelona for her luggage—still arriving almost a day earlier than I. There was just one flight from New York to Manchester and it had left the following evening, hence the panicked run down the platform. My day to catch up on time zones had been devoured by the mechanics of the airlines.

In Harrogate, after another close connection in Leeds, I threw my bags into a room at the hotel and marched over to a beautiful old building where the PCE, Learning Technologies in Context, was held, with just enough time to hear Nicky and then give my own presentation. We later agreed it was a good thing, as our presentations meshed nicely, hers looking at some of the pedagogical theory underpinning digital literacy in high-, low-, and no-tech contexts, and mine describing, at a somewhat more abstract level, the TESOL Technology Standards, which also made reference to varied levels of technology access and the framework for its use. A particular delight in Nicky’s talk was to see Carla Arena’s smiling face talking in a short video about using iPads with Brazilian students. Carla is a Webhead, CALL-IS member, and former coordinator of the CALL-IS EVO. Nicky also gave a nice plug to Webheads, who have been very active in our IS.

The afternoon was devoted to workshops, where I tried to induce participants to write more vignettes for a potential online archive; however, mostly they wanted to ask more questions about the Standards and how the CALL-IS team developed them. Links to PCE-related videos, discussions, and other documents can be found here.

After a meeting of the LT SIG steering committee (during which I disgracefully almost fell asleep exhausted while taking notes on my laptop), the gang took me out to dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant in the absolutely charming town of Harrogate. Everything there was thankfully in walking distance. In addition to Nicky and Paul, joint coordinators of the SIG, I got to hang out with Heike Philp, online events coordinator, and other luminaries of the SIG: Pete Sharma of the steering committee; Sophia Mvridi, treasurer; Natalya Edleman, newsletter editor; and Vicky Saumell, community manager.

Conference Differences

I noticed several interesting differences between TESOL Portland, which I had just left (with the 12-hour hiatus in various airports), and IATEFL Harrogate. For one, the distinction between commercial and noncommercial just doesn’t exist for IATEFL. Because of stringent rules on the foundation of 503(c)(3) organizations in the United States, TESOL has to keep a careful separation between commercial interests and education interests. At Harrogate, the publishers were in almost too much evidence—lots of free receptions and parties, and all kinds of support for delegates. Commercial signs everywhere, almost overwhelming the senses.

Another strategic difference was the sheer amount of technology. The Harrogate Center was built for technology-driven conferences: good wifi reception everywhere and great presentation rooms with multiple microphones and projection equipment. TESOL has to move around over a large country annually, it’s an awkward size, and the convention centers in second-tier cities are not always up to the highest standards when it comes to technology, although we have seen great improvement over the last several years.

The IATEFL conference also seems somehow more personal—not just the difference in size (2,000 or so versus 8,000 or more for TESOL), but there are whole days devoted to consecutive presentations by SIGs: a business English day, a pronunciation day, an LT day. Yes, these are overlapping, and of course there are far fewer presentations in a much smaller space. While it is great to see far-flung online friends from all over the world at TESOL, it often feels like the spaces and the number of presentations are just overwhelming. Size matters in so many ways.

Another of the personalizing aspects: Whole days of online conference are devoted to interviewing personalities in the field. Anyone can drop by online for an interesting chat with some of the best people around. See the recordings here. Our PCE was online also. Again, this was no doubt a function of commercial support so that, although participants had to pay extra for the PCE, it didn’t seem to matter that others could “listen in” online. Of course, those present got the benefit of being there, hearing everything, asking questions and getting immediate answers—well worth the extra price, I hope. My presentation is at LiveStream and Nicky’s is here. All of the PCE addresses can be found linked through these URLs, starting at 29:01 min.

High Points

For me, the most spectacular of the presentations was held in the largest of the Center’s conference rooms. Gavin Dudney gave a wonderful display of “E-Dreams”: a look at the future of technology for teaching, followed by a brief discussion in small groups by participants (something I hadn’t seen in “big” presentations at TESOL). Unfortunately, while Gavin tried to be very neutral about “new” things, like mobile technology and MOOCs, large portions of the audience seemed downright hostile. This was a little surprising, and I wish I had had more time—and nerve—to disagree with my group. I felt it might be in bad taste or that I might have tomatoes thrown at my head. I suspect, however, that a mixed audience at a large presentation like this at TESOL might have had a similar response to the bewildering razzle-dazzle of “the future.” In any event, the LT SIG does not fear or distrust technology, and we are hoping to go forward with some joint projects that will involve the Technology Standards.

By the third day at the conference, I was really beginning to feel the effects of bad travel and what turned out to be viral bronchitis, so sadly, I missed the LT SIG technology day and what was apparently a very powerful presentation by Sugata Mitra on the future of education. IATEFL has since followed up his talk with a webinar—a practice I think TESOL might emulate. His and others’ presentations are available at the IATEFL site.

I came away with some very warm feelings about the SIG people and their approach, and I look forward to working on new projects with them:We held a joint Virtual Round Table conference June 14, "Gaming and Gamification," and hope to have some kind of presence at BrazTESOL. The link to "VRT" is here.

Paul Sweeney introducing Nicky Hockly at IATEFL LT-SIG PCE, Harrogate

Nicky Hockly at the IATEFL LT-SIG PCE, Harrogate

Carla Arena and the iPad project, as seen in Nicky Hockly’s PCE presentation