Well, I am at AERA and I have checked in. There was a 40 min. wait to check in, so that was not the best. The hotels are not really close to one another and the hotel we are staying at is about 3 subway stops away. I think there are 4-5 hotels AERA is using this time and the 2 main ones are about 8 blocks apart. Not that far, but not close either. Also, one other criticism, the hotels do not have a lot of space for lounging and passing a little time, which is a necessary component at these conferences.

Times Square is nice. Got myself a little NY Pizza for lunch. CBS has free Internet access at Times Square, so that is helpful for liveblogging. I overheard some AERA members here in the lounge talking about going to the Law SIG presentation this afternoon on discriminations issues. It always amazes me how attractive the legal presentations are at conferences like these. Educators and educational researchers really are interested in the legal presentations and they always get a great turnout. Now, if we only had more members of the AERA Law and Education SIG to give presentations. Our problem is not getting outside people to attend sessions, it is having enough people to give sessions for people to attend. The supply of educational law information at conferences like these is far outstripped by the demand.

Anyway, those are my initial thoughts. Check back later after I have given my 4pm presentation on faculty in educational leadership preparation programs.