The worldwide videoconference entitled, "Megaconference IX" will be held on November 8, 2007, at many sites around the state!
Southwest Arkansas Education Center (SWAEC) in Hope, AR, along with many other Education Cooperatives, schools, colleges and universities, will be participating in a world-wide videoconferencing event on November 8, 2007. The event is called Megaconference IX and is sponsored by Ohio State University. According to the Megaconference web site, "Each year, the (conference) occurs as a result of a tremendous amount of volunteer effort and good will, with the goal of connecting people together everywhere on Earth where someone chooses to participate, in order to further the use of videoconferencing in education and research and to advance the state of the art in videoconferencing technology." More information can be found at: http://www.megaconference.org/.
In addition to the sites in Arkansas, at least 21 other states and the District of Columbia, will be participating from the United States. Additionally, sites from all over the globe will also join in and present during the day. Countries currently signed up include Canada, Australia, China, Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and others! Some of the presentations scheduled to to be given include: The rapid growth of video conferencing in India, Providing Internet access to small towns in Ohio via satellite and wireless, The Flag of Earth, Distance Counseling via videoconferencing, Remote control of an electron microscope via videoconferencing, Television broadcasting via the Internet, A day in the life of a school in Taiwan, VOICES - A new telematic theater project involving performers from all over the world, Read Around the Planet - a celebration of reading and collaboration around the world via video conferencing, Global Agents of Change - using videoconferencing to foster understanding among the world's youth, and A visit to Beijing, China, including the Forbidden City, Olympic Preparations and beautiful music and dance. The full program can be found at http://digitalunion.osu.edu/megaconference/program.html.
This free event is open to the public on a "drop-in, drop-by" basis (come and go as you like). Everyone is invited to come spend some time with people all over the world in this incredible, unique experience. Event hours are on Thursday, November 8, 2007, from 7am-10pm. Arkansas sites participating include:
Southwest Education Co-op
Wilbur Mills Education Cooperative
Arkansas State University - Newport
NE College - Blytheville
Fuller Admin - Pulaski County Special School District
Arkansas Dept of Education - Maumelle
Dawson Education Co-op
Arch Ford Education Co-op
Arkansas River Education Co-op
South Central Education Co-op
North Central Education Co-op
Northwest Education Co-op
Western Arkansas Education Co-op
MidSouth Community College
Mt. Home High School
Northeast Education co-op
UACCH LB 114 (Univ. Ark. Comm. Coll. at Hope)
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact David Henderson, Distance Learning Coordinator, Southwest Arkansas Education Cooperative, at 870-777-3076.
The public and the media are welcome and encouraged to attend events scheduled in their area!