Button, Button….Who’s Got the Big Ideas Fest Buttons?

Who’s got the Big Idea Fest buttons? Well,  I do! As resident “Button Lady” at Big Ideas Fest 2010, I am in charge of providing Big Ideas Fest attendees with information about the variety of buttons they can earn, wear, or give away while at the Big Ideas Fest. These buttons say things such as, “U inspire me,” “I’m tweeting,” “Went for a swim,” or  “Geek on duty.” So why would buttons like these be important? After all, why would grown ups be excited about getting and trading buttons?

These buttons ARE important – they may be the first step towards an engaging conversation among like-minded (or not-so-like-minded) thinkers. They may even be the reason why two (or more) brilliant education reform champions start a dialogue about changing the world of education! So, while I am a senior researcher at the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME) by day, investigating ways that people collaborate and share knowledge , I am pleased that my alter ego for the next few days is Big Ideas Fest 2010 Button Lady!

What button would be meaningful for you to receive? What button could someone give you that might spark a deep discussion?