Just Thinking

First, let me say I love my job.  It is my dream job.  I feel that my voice does matter and that maybe I'm having a positive impact on teachers and students on a state level.

This morning, I had a meeting, about a meeting to plan a meeting for another meeting.  One of the things brought up was the "inclusion" of many other people in several of these strands of meetings.  I thought that optimal group size for "productivity" were 7 +/- 2.  My fear?  That having larger meetings just leads towards more meetings to plan yet more meetings.  When does the actual work get done if we are meeting about meetings?

Don't get me wrong, according to the Kolbe test, I'm a strong fact-finder and follow-through person.  I like a good debate, I like knowing all the facts.  The follow-through part of me though is poised to step-in immediately when those facts have been established and get to work.

Why couldn't technology be used to decide some of the issues at these meetings?  Is there anything wrong with using an application such as Google Docs/Forms to have discussion online?  To vote and contribute anonymously without feeling the pressure of philosophical discussions and "high-faluting mumbo-jumbo" would, just maybe, help things be accomplished more quickly.

In education, we talk about technology integration, we talk about curriculum, we talk about assessment.  Yes, we talk.  Wouldn't it be nice to instead say...in education we fully integrate technology, we have a continually updated, relevant, rigorous curriculum, we have assessments that allow us to evaluate student achievement.

In a perfect world...now, I'd better get ready for my next meeting.

It is time...

I've been thinking about blogging "for real" for months.  Ideas float in my head, but I have no real audience.  When I attend conferences, I get all "gushy" inside with the technology and its uses in education.  Part of that is because I taught technology in the Business Education classroom for years.  Then I realize my affinity for all things technology and making technology work for me is embedded in my DNA.  My father is an innovator.  He sees a problem, and devises things to make that problem a non-issue.  His work can be seen in buildings all over Kentucky.  My mother's father, my beloved Grandad, was very similar.  A WWII vet, he was a mechanic who "tinkered" with anything and everything.  He was probably one of the few 65 year olds to buy an Atari as soon as they came out.  Were he still alive, he would definitely have an iPad, Wii, smart phone and all the other gadgets.  I think that this spirit has led me to my passion.  So, in addition to workshops, planning conferences, and my own consulting company, I am going to make an honest attempt to blog...and keep my thoughts for educators and all of those that just love technology and the good things it can bring!