Gearing up for 2018. I love the speed and the creativity inherent in the digital classroom, but I am always aware that there is power in all things analog.
Digital for storage and quickness. Analog for fatness and warmth.
—Adrian Belew
*my calendar/journal for 2018.
People are so into digital recording now they forgot how easy analog recording can be.
—Dave Grohl
Catching up on my edtech reading on this last day of holiday break. RSS feeds still exist, by the way. Even crazier? There are some amazing apps* out there for whatever type of device you're running.
As I read through my lists of feeds, there was a brief moment where I started to feel melancholy about the demise of Google Reader. In the background, Morrissey played...
But, it got me thinking about the progress of technology and how things have changed since I began teaching in a 1:1 classroom. In the last 14 years, the common theme, in both students and the edtech arena, is that consistency beats intensity.
The programs that have value are the ones that last. The ones who hustle always rise to the top.
I created this print two years ago, but recently found a copy while cleaning out my workshop. It was hidden under a pile of scrap paper. And, it still holds true. It just needs to be reset in a different typeface, with a different dingbat.
*I prefer Reeder for iOS & Mac...clean design and tons of management features. For Chrome, I really like Feedly.
As the year draws to a close, I was fortunate to spend time with friends and family in sunny Newport Beach, California. And, I recently gave a lot of thought to lessons learned.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to bore you resolutions and life goals. We don’t need to do that to each other. Social media is full of articles about reinventing yourself and creating attainable results. Sadly, most of them are just not realistic. Maybe that’s why the theme that kept replaying in my mind was this:
No bullsh*t resolutions, just low-key executions.
Having goals is good. Having wishes is wonderful. But, no one else can really tell you how to be happy...how to achieve what you want. See, most people can only give advice. Don't ask for advice. Ask about experiences and opinions that you can turn into advice for yourself.
So, I’ve tried to distill my reflections into little things that are meaningful for me. I've used three-word rules, because that is what works for me. And, here is what I’ve concluded so far:
This is my second year as an EdTech TOSA. As the year winds down, I've been thinking about CHANGE.
Maybe that last one can be chalked up to ignorance. Maybe some people just like to be mysterious. Maybe I'm just off-topic.
But, the blinking lights (the “shiny things”) do have a role in my growth—they signal change. As my role in the district moves toward an Instructional Technology Coach, I've observed a slow shift from the blind enthusiasm of “technology in the classroom” to true digital learning. While slow to gain traction, that shift has been a significant change.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
If that is true, I hope this shift in digital learning stays on course...or changes...
Currently performing a little experiment with Google Forms, in the way of exit tickets. My goal is two-fold: