OK, we all know the cries of graduating seniors about the challenges of obtaining employment after college.

In addition to keeping you eyes peeled for opportunity, why not volunteer? Its how I got started.

For instance, If you are in the NYC area next week, Brandcamp is in need to volunteers.

You never know where your next opportunity may come from sometimes, you have to give a little to get back.

I was scheduled to attend the HighEdWeb Regional Conference at Vassar College from May 6 -7, but due to circumstances I cannot yet reveal, I was not able to attend.

That didn’t mean that I was totally shut out of the festivities.

(I’m bummed about missing karaoke  night though!).

Thanks to the advent of live streaming video and twitter, I was able to participate a little.

(I was able to even see a  fellow colleague in the first few rows in the video!)

This presentation “Web Analytics: What’s Really Important?” by
Jessica Krywosa, Director of Web Communication, Suffolk University really hit home for me, (even though I was able to hear as much through the live stream).

Other presentations will become available via  the conference schedule page.

Here are some tweets that I did find insightful:

RT @kprentiss: “students love, appreciate, and respect transparency.  video stories can be great for this” #hewebvc

RT @TimNekritz: This goes with one of my mantras: Goals first, then tools. #hewebvc

RT @rachelreuben: Briee says press releases are no longer relevant – completely dead. #hewebvc

RT @MalloryWood: Good quality content does not require a FAQ page. #hewebvc

RT @ColB: Develop that voice, engage the conversation, and over time, people begin to trust you.  #hewebvc

For more insights about the conference, search the #hewebvc tag.

I’m live blogging from the Educational Roundtable session at WordCampNYC.

Some thoughts that have emerge already is that WordPress is the bridge that enable end users to readily contribute.

Moving beyond the blog using a stream. (I wished I’d arrived on time for @erinblaskie presentation.

@photomatt – Multiple mediums pushed into one.

Letting the students  make there own decisions

@photomatt – “Having the domain name is the new American dream”

Good Question: How to get students engaged with Blogging in Education, where they have *so* many other options?

@photomatt ‘s response – Blogs need to be more engaging.

If  (the blog) is for a class, its homework.

Not about owning or renting (a domain), its about being found.

It doesn’t always have to be a blog.

@BaruchBlogs – Since NYT reported that Harvard now has student bloggers, this helps make a strong case for other institutions.

@photomatt – Its possible to have multiple authors per post. for students who want to collaborate.

@photomatt – Everything that goes online is legacy.

@BaruchBlogs – Being sensitive to what your writing and who you are writing for is key.

Can I just say that this is not a complete list. With school already starting for some folks and the rest soon to follow, I figured I  would follow up on my list from last year and  release my 2009 version of recommended reading. Granted I wasn’t able to attend every session, I think know that this list will continue to grow with your comments.

In no particular order:  (Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate):

• Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day by Jennifer Grappone
• Measuring Marketing: 103 Key Metrics Every Marketer Needs by John Davis
• Free: The Future of a Radical Price by Chris Anderson
• Transforming a College: The Story of a Little-Known College’s Strategic Climb to National Distinction by George Keller
• A Sense of Urgencyby John P. Kotter
• Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies by Charlene Li
• Get Content Get Customers : Turn Prospects into Buyers with Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi
• Returning to the list for the second year in a row: The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual

View of Lake Michigan from the North Side

This is the second year that I’ve attended the EduWeb Conference. This year, there were more sessions that I wish I could of attended but couldn’t because some of them happened at the same time. Fortunately, thanks to to the resources of Twitter, I was able to view what was going on, even though I wasn’t in the room.

Here are some of my favorites:

AndreaGenevieve 5. Offer something valuable to constituents you are e-mailing #eduweb

jallgire Homework from @karlynm – get on email marketing lists and when we click on a link, ask ourselves “why”. #eduweb

jallgire Create. Optimize. Link. SEO is a Marathon. Can implement some things quickly but then need to keep doing it.(via @kylejames)  #eduweb

celiaperkins #eduweb Colleges and univ. are businesses! A novel idea! Sure wish they would learn to operate that way.

ECwagner It takes a community to recruit and retain a student! #eduweb

auwebmanager Everyone at your institution should know the school’s elevator pitch. #eduweb

ECwagner Stories not Stats, People not Programs… So true. #eduweb

mdmcginn Lectures are synchrous while students learn asynchrously. #eduweb brian niles

apetersen 6 recommendations: Listen. Participate. Update. Adapt. Analyze. (Repeat.) #eduweb

KarlynM have a clear vision, hire great people, get out of their way and hold them accountable #eduweb

celiaperkins #eduweb It’s not the tool, it’s the CONTENT!

j_rex Just do it. Just do it #eduweb @kylejames

That is not the only question in my mind, but it has become more a part of my conversations than I care to admit.

It has been nearly 3 years since I’ve been on the teaching side of the classroom, mainly due to personal circumstances. Instead, I’ve been opting for the flexibility of my consulting schedule.  Also, people have been encouraging me to pursue a doctorate, but that’s another post for another day.

With the current environment not being in the best shape, it may be time to go back. After all,  they say that teaching encourages one to keep up with new technology and trends like in conferences.

Besides the technology in the classroom changing slightly and books being an edition or two ahead, I guess it would be like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget.