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I have attended NECC every year since about 1980.  You can imagine the changes I have seen!  Each year I know it is one of the “can’t miss” conferences in education, and each year after I attend, I am reminded why.

As expected there is a ton of new information and technology shared here.
There is another layer, however — one that is less tangible, but all the more important to note.  That is the incredible learning that takes place when this many people get together with enthusiasm, passion, thirst for knowledge, and desire to collaborate with their peers.  I could only think… “Wow, if teachers are this passionate about learning from each other, imagine how their students must feel when they transfer this to the classroom”.  To take it to the next level, what if students were able to learn in this type of setting as well?  Wouldn’t they also achieve the same benefit?
This innovation and teacher collaboration is one of the reasons that we started the WeAreTeachers microgrant program. During NECC we announced the latest microgrant on “Digital Learning” sponsored by Dell. Our goal is to put a small financial contribution directly in the hands of teachers to kick off a project along with a Flip Video Camera to record it and post for other teachers.
The Tweetup was a great place for teachers to finally meet their colleagues who they had only known virtually through Twitter, Facebook or their blogs.  It was a cool way to put a real person with the “personality” you have come to know on the web.  Also, this event allowed for more exchanging of ideas in real time — a truly powerful experience.  Equal to this was the Bloggers’ Café where many more informal meet-ups occurred.
Many  attendees have been blogging about their experiences at NECC. If you attended NECC, be sure to add your favorite memories here.
Some themes I found most prevalent at NECC this year included:
o    Global Education – An example is the good work at IEARN. This concept of the flat world and open classrooms with shared experiences with other students across the world was a key discussion.
o    Philanthropic Education – An example is My Hero or other Cause Oriented Projects.  There were many shared ideas on this topic as well.
o    Grassroots Teacher Empowerment efforts – like  WeAreTeachers & Classroom 2.0.   These are two places where teachers are organizing and gathering to further the causes of global education and teacher empowerment efforts.
o    Debate over the potential detriment of the brick & mortar school to learning was also a much discussed topic.  Malcolm Gladwell’s keynote brought this to the forefront.

The official stats of attendance from ISTE : 13,574 registered attendees, 849 int’l attendees, 1,253 booths, 140 journalists, etc.
Here is a list of some of my more interesting reads from bloggers at NECC:
http://www.speedofcreativity.org/
http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org
http://preclectic.com/
www.spirobolos.blogspot.com
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
www.amyboehman.blogspot.com
www.uenatnecc.blogspot.com
http://www.angelamaiers.com/2009/07/necc-finally-breathing.html
http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/02/the-definitive-necc-09-wrap-up-post/
http://en.community.dell.com/groups/edu4u/blog/archive/2009/07/07/authored-by-kari-stubbs-necc-09-from-the-brainpop-perspective.aspx
http://coolcatteacher.wikispaces.com/