Thinking about #EAPchat, Year 2

As we approach the #EAPchat finale for 2012 on December 17, we also approach our 1st birthday in February and what better time to reflect our infancy and consider how we want our toddler year to evolve in 2013. For those of you that actively participate each session, as you are the core of this growing community, I’d like your input next time in this regard. For you who have not yet given #EAPchat a try, but perhaps have been to an #ELTchat or two, your ideas are so valuable too.

To catch you up, here’s how #EAPchat has gone this year:

• occurs on 1st and 3rd Mondays each month, with a few exceptions here and there
• runs from 1PM to 2PM EST (your time zone here)
• topics have been suggested by anyone on our Google doc, but not voted on. I have so far just selected from the pool.
• upcoming dates and topics are listed here the week before; Chirpstory transcripts and topically related items appear there after.
• had between 2 and 10 participants; probably the average so far is 5 or 6.
• we have a Facebook page, which mostly announces topics.

Though I don’t aim to prescribe how the next chat will go, I thought that providing some food for thought ahead of time might help anyone interested in giving suggestions for next year.  Thus, the following questions may help formulate your ideas.  What would be awesome is if your offline colleagues want to be involved in this discussion off or online too. If other issues come to mind, bring them on!

1. Why do you/don’t you regularly attend #EAPchat?
2. How does/doesn’t Twitter work as the platform for #EAPchat?
3. How do/don’t the chosen topics engage you in a meaningful way?
4. Is it a goal of #EAPchat to extend the conversation beyond the chat session itself?
5. What would you like to get most from the #EAPchat community?

I really look forward to talking with all of you before, during, and after our December 17 #EAPchat about how it should evolve.

*header image from @esolcourses via #eltpics. Click it to view.