TCC Unconference session 14 April feedback and notes

Here's my quick notes from the feedback of the unconeference held as part of the Transformations conference. If you have comments or notes of your own to add please do so here! I'm doing this in a mad hurry so please forgive any typos and other annoyances...

Topic #1: Freemium models

• we've been doing this for a long time with our physical programs - remember that
• but can gets lots for free on the web now
• gaming environments use the freemium model - get in the game and buy things within it (Farmville also uses this idea)
• SLV develop progam and put online for free for everyone, what teachers pay for is to come and have a staff memeber deliver the program
• what people are paying for is convenience, can get content already online, pay to have it packaged and delivered to their mobile device
• pay for social, emotional, face-to-face contact with people / a person
• Many still object to paying (perhaps those who still have moral objection), different orgs have different ideas (eg libraries will always be free, yet MoMA charging premium for everything
• Different business model blog post here

Topic #2: Collaboration vs competition

• Partership vs collaboration
• We are all offering similar programs etc and can be seen to be competing
• share mailing lists
• can be easy to collaborate at the optional/grassroots level but not at the senior management level - need a receptive top level of managemnet
• Need to answer: What's in it for us?
• Trust can be hard
• Often we thnk products compete but they can complement (eg SMH Good Food Guide book + app found this)
• Dont get tied up with the branding issues - the end user usually doesnt care!

Topic #3: Social media /social inclusion

• "Outreach" - is that what we're talking about now?
• Digital storyteling still a vey robust way to connect and reach out to audiences
• Context for connection? How give them a reason to connect via social media?
• Access issues (technology)
• Digital divide - how to engage those with limited understanding/use of the tech
• Print is not going out of fashion
• Tech often doesn't work
• dont always need to use tech - manual methods sometimes work just as well!
• who actually has access and how do they use it?
• "future already here but is unevenly disributed"
• continue to build community with whatever tools make sense

Great session, please add any comments, thoughts here!