Dangerously Irrelevant

I just received a note from Edutopia announcing its new Go Green initiative. Apparently they’ve created a database / clearinghouse designed to help educators ‘integrate knowledge and awareness of Earth’s fragility into classwork and community service.’

Personally, I think this is a great idea, but I wonder how long it will take before some disbelieving citizens challenge schools’ use of these materials, similar to the controversy that occurred in Federal Way, Washington regarding the film An Inconvenient Truth.

I had a great trip to San Antonio. It was fun hanging out with Miguel Friday afternoon and evening. As you can see, we are not above making idiots of ourselves (one thing to know about Miguel: he has no qualms about only asking for one sombrero (for you, of course)). Like all good outside consultants should, I helped Miguel and his team move their office by lugging boxes and I got to see their new digs next to the Curriculum and Instruction department. Miguel has a great team: a shout-out to Sue, Sylvia, Josie, and the rest of the folks I met (Malinda, that means you!).

On the more serious side, Miguel videoed my opening keynote for iLEAD and also recorded my breakout session conversation about administrator blogs. Maybe he’ll post one or both on his blog. All of my materials from my visit are available at my SAISD web page. The very best part of the trip was our ongoing discussion about how to facilitate change from an informal leadership position (i.e., one without much authority or power) within a large, complex, hierarchical, bureaucratic urban school district. I hope that I gave Miguel some productive food for thought. I know that I came away from the trip with a number of takeaways that hopefully will bear some fruit over the next month or two.

I’ll be back in San Antonio for NASSP and for NECC. Hope to see you there!

It’s been a wild, wild year for me. Earlier this week I was honored as one of NSBA’s 20 To Watch and in June I was one of the cable industry’s Leaders in Learning recipients. The George Lucas Educational Foundation said it loves my blogs and today I am being honored as one of Phi Delta Kappa’s Emerging Leaders. I am a little overwhelmed at all of the attention (three national awards in one year is a bit crazy!) but I do appreciate the recognition of the work we’re doing here at CASTLE. My new institution, Iowa State University, had a really nice story on me (the news service reporter said I was a walking op-ed!). It’s fun to be at a place that appreciates my work.

I can’t attend the awards ceremony today at PDK’s Global Summit in Vancouver, British Columbia. Why? Because I’m winging my way to San Antonio, Texas to keynote Miguel Guhlin’s technology leadership seminar. It will be great to see Miguel again and, knowing Miguel, I’m guessing that he may have a few surprises in store for me!

I ran across an interesting thread on NCLB, courtesy of Joanne Jacobs. First, Karin Chenoweth notes that the good old days before NCLB weren’t so good. TMAO concurred, stating that ‘more kids learned less in the past than now.’ Cardinal Fang, a commenter on Joanne’s post, disagreed: ‘in middle class [schools] … there is more emphasis on testing, arguably making those formerly good schools more boring, duller places by focusing on tests which most of the students would have passed anyway.’

What do you think?

1 year ago: Not enough time to be data-driven

First Karl Fisch, original creator of Did You Know?, gets profiled in the Rocky Mountain News. Then he gets mentioned on the CNN Saturday Morning show (at the end). Oh, and there’s the national award he received this week. Woohoo!

What’s next, Karl? The New York Times? Or Boing Boing?

Congrats (and sorry I outed you)!

Check out the transcript of Will Richardson’s live online chat about the educational benefits of social networking. Part of the fun at this year’s T+L conference!

FYI, tomorrow is an online discussion with Thomas Hutton, senior staff attorney for the National School Boards Association, on navigating the legal landmines associated with new technologies. You know I’m looking forward to reading that!

A few months back, Susan McLester, Editor in Chief of Technology and Learning magazine, asked if I would write a monthly column on higher education technology issues. Always mindful of opportunities to spread the word about CASTLE, of course I said yes!

Here are my first few articles:

• Professors who blog (May 15, 2007)
• Our ethical obligation (August 15, 2007)
• Document management tools (September 15, 2007)
• RateMyProgram.com (October 15, 2007)

Today I’m being honored by the good folks at the National School Boards Association at their annual Technology + Learning conference. They’ve named me as one of their ‘20 To Watch‘ for 2007. The 20 To Watch list started last year and is intended to identify ‘emerging voices that will shape the future of education technology.’ Other recipients this year include Karl Fisch, Gary Stager, and Erin Reilly (who I met earlier this year at the Leaders in Learning awards).

Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend the awards ceremony in Nashville, but I appreciate the recognition of the work I’m doing here at CASTLE. Thanks, NSBA!

[this post is my contribution to Blog Action Day]

E-waste is an enormous environmental issue. Digital technologies such as computers and electronic gadgets are full of toxic metals and other harmful materials. Proper disposal or recycling of these technologies is imperative.

Educators can’t claim to be ignorant anymore. The deleterious effects of e-waste are increasingly well-known. As public agencies, schools have a special responsibility not to harm future generations through irresponsible jettisoning of old computer equipment.

For every school district that has a disposal / recycling plan in place, there’s probably another that doesn’t. There are countless stories of old computers stacked up in school warehouses and storerooms. Similarly, for every school leader that’s struggling with what to do with old equipment, there are several who have never even thought about the issue.

Ask your school leaders tomorrow: "What do we do with our old computing equipment?" If they don’t know, help them find out the answer. Investigate what really happens to the computers that get carted away. Even if you think they’re being recycled, it may not be what you think.

My School Technology Safety and Security course at U. Minnesota included a computer disposal / recycling unit. I hope to create the same here at Iowa State. Additionally, I have begun making a conscious effort to reduce my technological footprint. It’s very hard; I drool over every new cool technogadget that comes out. But, as I noted before, I’ve got too much stuff.

What are you doing personally to reduce your digital footprint? What are you doing professionally to help school leaders understand the scale and importance of the K-12 computer disposal issue? What are you doing academically to help students understand the technology-related environmental issues that their generation will face?

As Joel Barker notes, "No one will thank you for taking care of today if you have failed to take care of tomorrow."

Today The Economist kicks off what looks to be quite an interesting debate event on educational issues. The first debate will address the following proposition:

This
house believes that the continuing introduction of new technologies and new
media adds little to the quality of most education.

I believe that visitors have the ability to propose questions and add comments. Debate and commentary should be lively, so check it out!