Updating my blog

Ok, so it's been almost a year since I've posted here on my own site. But that's because I'm no longer confined to this little island on the web. I'm now doing my blogging over at ISEnet, (now nearing 1300 members) and also just posted to PBLnet(a new site for project based learning.) Stop on by...

ISEnet Ning Nearing 500 Members

I've been spending time nurturing the ISEnet ning (with Fred Bartels) rather than blogging here. It's been interesting to see it develop and grow. It's certainly more interactive than a single blog site (unless you're a blog superstar), since it has so many users visiting and commenting on the discussions, blog entries, and other content. Fred & I got interviewed by Alex & Arvind for EdTechTalk on Wednesday. Some key points that came from this discussion:

• The ISEnet is a good safe place for educators to experience online social networking.
• At this point it is mostly tech coordinators and librarians, but could balloon as it is shared with schools' faculties
• It provides an identity based network separate from larger ning networks like classroom2.0
• It aggregates content from participants, including discussions, blogs, videos, etc.
• It may have more appeal to right-brained people than more logico-linear communications vehicles like listservs & wikis
• It may be an ok place to have student interaction, as opposed to facebook

Caffeinated Showering Revelations

I love the first hour of the day: quietly crunching down Cheerios, reading the online NYTimes, no distractions, dark french roast, hot shower. This morning I had something of an epiphany about how to feel more progress in school change process. For years I've been working within tech departments to create conditions for changing classroom dynamics towards more student-active, authentic, creative, thought-provoking, project-creation, problem-solving activities. I've always also worked with curricular and professional development coordinators, department chairs and the faculty. My realization this morning is that expecting change to originate from within the tech dept is a misplaced conception. We know that change comes slowly, is a "messy" process, and requires collaborative relationships of trust. We have to build consensus, demonstrate proof-of-concept, and celebrate successes. Keeping the network flowing stably and abundantly through the infrastructure wires is important, but it's only the stepping off place, and not the engine that will drive meaningful improvement. So this leaves me thinking it's time to focus more change efforts on the curricular coordinators and avoid the trap of pushing the tech department to take on a task like this for which it is ill-designed.