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Organising a TeachMeet
The #TMBelfast Experience
History, Timeline ideas and hints!
▪ What’s different about Northern Ireland?
▪ How did we get going?
▪ Creating a social network
▪ Creating interest
▪ Getting backers
▪ Pulling it off!
▪ Tech – ‘Dos and Don’ts’
▪ Getting feedback
What’s different about Northern Ireland?
▪ Inherently conservative about education and collaboration
▪ Three main education systems – Maintained, Controlled and Integrated
▪ There can be general mistrust across sectors
▪ #TMBelfast included teachers from these three sectors, across both Primary and Post-Primary (including Grammar and Secondary)
How did we get going?
▪ It started with a Tweet – 7th November 2010
▪ A year later (I know) five of us met in a coffee shop to plan!
▪ Creating a Social Network buzz
▪ ‘Just wondering if there are many NI teachers using Twitter for Ed purposes! Could we organise a TeachMeet? Is there an interest? Pls RT. Thx’
▪ ‘RT @daithimurray: Great meeting this morning to begin planning TeachMeetBelfast2012. Lovely to meet @amandasalt @curriculumni #tmbelfast +1’
Creating a Social Network
▪ Twitter: Short and Snappy hashtag, asking others to RT as necessary.
▪ Using some of the ‘famous’ Education Tweeters helps - @deputymitchell
▪ Endlessly tweeting and retweeting to build atmosphere and expectation
▪ Facebook Profile – can be linked to the Twitter account, too. Creates more of a buzz, information can be ‘shared’ and ‘liked’ to build a wider audience
Generating Interest
▪ Tweet and be Tweeted about!
▪ Email distribution lists (LEA lists?)
▪ Go big!
▪ Pretend it isn’t work!
▪ Get fliers / posters out early
Putting it all together
▪ Food and accommodation have been supported by others – makes the experience more relaxing – Digital Circle (NI) / Microsoft / iTeach-UK / British Council
▪ Interested parties given chance to meet with teachers – in the room where the buffet organised.
▪ Displays are ‘paid for’ by a donation to the raffle.
Why?
▪ No money involved in the enterprise – organisers don’t feel under pressure / Teachers don’t feel ‘sold to.’
▪ If companies are interesting – these are the teachers that are interested.
▪ Nobody feels that they have to justify their ‘money’s worth.’
Support
The Wiki
The Wiki – www.tmbelfast.wikispaces.com gave us a number of things:
Somewhere to refer people to to get more information
An idea of numbers in the early days
Somewhere to organise speakers and the lengths of presentations they are prepared to give
Post relevant videos of the concept of the TeachMeet to introduce our new members!
Stream a feed of the TeachMeet that evening
Post the videos from that night for future references
On the night – Pulling it off!
▪ Tickets – We use eventbrite.co.uk as the source of our online tickets. It is free for events where there is no charge, it keeps track of everything on the night through apps – Android / iOS / W8(?)
▪ Give everyone a job – That’s why it is a team: checking tickets; putting up signs; checking the tech; meeting and greeting the supporters; meeting and greeting your new friends; checking and rechecking the Stream.
▪ We used two screens – one for the presentations / raffle and one for a steady stream of tweets – www.visibletweets.com
Keeping It Flowing
Raffle prize draw in between each presenter
Use the Random Name Generator for both the prize draw and the speakers!
Two presenters on the evening – one to keep the ‘banter’ flowing and the other to organise the next raffle / speakers, etc.
Streaming and AV
Reliable connection required.
Use LAN cable instead of relying on wireless
Good streaming site is essential www.livestream.com
www.ustream.com
Google Hangout – now has the ability to record a session through Google Air
We had a building with excellent Bandwidth to facilitate a stream
Feedback
▪ www.surveymonkey.com was used for our original feedback
▪ Google Drive (Forms) also a good way of gauging feedback
▪ Good to have evaluation for future events!
Follow Up!
▪ Link to presentation > http://goo.gl/4oFgx
▪ Link to me! > @mrmalcontent
▪ Email > [email protected]
