Climbing the Mountain-Thanks to the Network

Several years ago I had the opportunity to enjoy the splendor of a ranch just outside of Jackson Hole. One of the adventures was a hike up the mountain. Not long into the experience I realized that maybe I had got into something more challenging than I originally thought. I soon knew the meaning of "out of shape", but I also knew the determination in joining my friends to make it to the top. It was only with their help, and painfully slow going that I was able to make it. They were willing to slow down to my plodding pace, offer ongoing encouragement and assist me to the summit.

I often feel this way in the evolving world of tech. I have some sense of where I want to go, but there are so many out there in front of me. The brilliant, the creative, the dedicated, the targeted. That they are willing to take the time to help an "out of shape", neophyte on the climb, for that I am very always thankful.

The wonder of the ed tech collaborative- is it is not a solitary experience.

Moving Beyond Mavericks

What is a Maverick?

When we were younger we discovered, what we believed at the time, the best bargain in the auto market. Having limited financial resources and the need to get where we needed to go on a regular basis, the Maverick was the perfect car for us. We discovered that we could pick up a used Maverick in the $200-$300.00 price range. Hard to believe for a car that started on the coldest WI winter morning, seemed to run forever, and was incredibly easy to work on. Being young, we were able to look beyond the Maverick’s flaws. It was not a particularly stylish car and it was prone to rust out. It also would stall out at intersections and the steering was very loose and prone to front end problems. With the enthusiasm of youth we could deal with these inconveniences. We discovered that for a small amount of money one could buy several gallons of plastic body filler called Bondo and make the Maverick look somewhat solid. The belief in something solid was dispelled one morning when we discovered that at some point in the early morning hours, someone had hit the “Bondo enhanced” Maverick in the parking lot where we had left it. When we went to claim the car in the morning there was considerably more Maverick on the asphalt than on the frame of the car.

Now that we are older and wiser we have learned the importance of substance. While the concept of the “Maverick” was appealing once, we have learned that now we make our choices less by emotion, and more by a careful analysis of quality and substance.

Yes, sometimes a Maverick is just that-something divergent, but not necessarily the best possible choice.

Picture of Ford Maverick
Source originally posted to Flickr as Ford Maverick
Date 2008-11-22 12:12:35
Author dave_7

MPG

Whatever Bill K is driving I want it.

Geeky Library Tools

OK -Here's one to try-Barcode Maker

Cool Comic Creator

Found this fun comic creating tool

Transform

There are times when I think that I would have gone down with the Titanic. It takes courage to change ships, because we are not sure what is out there.

NECC always inspires me and I found words of wisdom in what Trina Davis ISTE president had to say.

1. Become powerful advocates for change. Regardless of who inhabits the White House next year, educational technology must play a more prominent role in our national education policy, Davis said--and educators should do everything they can to ensure that it does.

2. Share your knowledge and your passion. Help others take steps to ensure their growth as teachers, Davis said--so they can help students grow as learners.

3. Showcase your work, and students' work, in innovative ways. Invite parents and community leaders into your schools, Davis said--or take students' projects to them with the help of podcasts and other technologies.

4. Dream big. Have high expectations for your students, Davis said, because the possibilities that educational technology offers are "endless."

5. Use all of the resources available to you as you try to effect change. These include ISTE's many online resources, such as the group's National Educational Technology Standards and its research-based reports.

Trina is definatly on my hero list-I'd gladly get on her ship.

NECC and the Power of C

The Power of C

A recurring theme at NECC this year was the letter C. So what is in a letter? After some thought I Contend that it is the very essence of human Collective Conscienceless. In simple terms it is who we Care to be.

It is Collaboration and Communication. It is Creativity. It is Compassion. It is the Collection of data but more importantly it is the human Connection to that data that makes it relevant and important.

It is the Community and Collective intelligence but it is also Concern for the individual. It is the realization that together we can accomplish amazing things as long as we recognize the importance of the individual Contributor.


It is about Courage to try something new, to Create, to Contribute

Why do I really know this matters? Because 18,000 of us choose to Convene and we are on our way to the next letter Transform

Not So Covert Anymore

Hmm...Kind of interesting how something can grow. Our covert project on record breaking snow may not be so secret anymore. We decided to apply for the ISTE SIGMS Award and found out yesterday that we had received the award.

Exploring WEB 2.0 for the the K-2 generation

I have been working with VoiceThread, as I want to start using it actively with students. So here is a practice run.

Understanding the Y of Blogs

I thought I would give a try at embedding this link.

Creative Lessons as Covert Operations

I had a unique experience this week. One of the most exciting experiences in education has always been the opportunity to work together on designing a learning experience that really requires students to do problem solving in an authentic situation. The problem is the day has been so strictly structured with a primary focus on basic literacy skills that we must sneak in the problem solving moments. Education has now entered the realm of don't ask, don't tell.