Some updates are below.
I was in New Zealand April 16-25. I was mainly there for the DEANZ (Distance Education Association of New Zealand) conference. I had a great time at the Hobbiton Movie set for the conference social as well as in Rotorua to see the geysers and sit in the Polynesian hot spas. I also loved my time in Hamilton (the gardens, pubs, the conference, the University of Waikato campus, etc.). Auckland (the city of sails) was also delightful. What a view from the roof of my apartment in Auckland and the Sky Tower (see below).
After a very long plane ride, the trip started in Hamilton (that is where the conference was held--the University of Waikato):
My "Adding Some TEC-VARIETY" co-author, Dr. Elaine Khoo, and her husband Jik.
We got to the Hobbiton Movie set on Tuesday April 19th for the conference social. Cool!
Check out my elf ears!
I got to be "Gandalf the Blue" for the Great Debate--whether online and face-to-face pedagogy were identical or not. My team lost, unfortunately. Stephen Bright was Gandalf the White and the host of the debate.
My long-time friend and colleague, Dr. Grace Lin from the University of Hawaii, came to the conference. Grace helped me with my World is Open book long ago.
Marie Bountrogianni Education Dean from Ryerson University in Ontario, Canada met with me for breakfast during the conference.
Elaine Khoo and her husband Jik took Grace Lin and I to Rotorua after the conference. It was grand.
Finally, I ended up in Auckland for a few days. A couple of people from the conference joined me there.
Views from the Sky Tower my final night, Sunday April 24th.
Views from my apartment in Auckland Monday morning April 25th, 2016. I was on the 30th floor of the Metropolis. A lovely and huge place which was one the tallest building in all of New Zealand. AirB&B comes in handy.
Upcoming Korea Trip: There
may be a book launching of the Korean version of my new MOOCs and Open Ed Around the World book on Saturday May 28 th after the KAIEM conference at
Kyung Hee U in Seoul. The translators have worked fast for us! I will meet with
many of the Korean translators for dinner that night after speaking about the
book and
perhaps the special issue at the conference. I guess I should send a few copies
of the English version over to the conference. I will speak at 8 places over
the first week I am there. I have sent over some of my Adding Some TEC-VARIETY books to give away at each stop (even though it is free online as a PDF).
My Korea stops will include in this order:
Saturday May 28th: KAEIM (an ed media
conference; 1 pm talk);
Monday May 30th: Ewha Womens University and the Korean National Open U (KNOU). The KNOU talk will include people from a company called
Tekville; Techville builds products for K-12 teacher communities;
Tuesday May 31st: Chosun University (in Gwangju in the south). I will see my former student Dr. Jieun Lee;
Wednesday June 1st: Korea University (2 talks); I will see my former student Dr. Minyoung Doo;
Thursday June 2nd: Chungbuk National U (2-3 hours
south of South where my long-time colleague and friend from graduate school days, Dr. Okhwa Lee works. Also there is my former student and close friend Dr. Paul Byun)
Friday June 3rd: Starting at the Institute of National Lifelong Education and ending at Seoul
National U (organized by my good friend Dr. Ilju Rha).
After those talks, I will take off 4 or so days to
travel around with different friends each day. Perhaps I will get a new suit. I need a blue one and perhaps another white one or maybe a green one.
Labels: Auckland, e-learning, Gandalf, Hamilton, hobbit, Korea, New Zealand, Seoul |
