iPED 2007 - Researching Academic Futures
iPED this year had just over 110 participants from 18 countries and provided two face-to-face key notes and one virtual + panel discussion that apparently was beset by technical difficulties; the rest of the sessions were three papers per hour slot or hour long workshops. This proved slightly frustrating as only one of the workshops I attended actually attempted to be that and the paper sessions meant that the presenters had to rattle through a report rather than spend time developing thoughts and discussing papers with the audience. We did have good discussions in the extended "workshop" sessions and I caught some good papers on developing a research community, PhD supervision and enquiry-based learning case studies. It was an excellent networking opportunity with plenty of time in between sessions and over meals to chat to acquaintances old and new. The conference dinner at the very scenic and atmospheric Coombe Abbey was preceded by a bus tour of historic Coventry and the leafy Warwickshire countryside, giving delegates a different perception of the "Ghost Town".