Instructional Technology Leadership
As a long-time technology leader, I can tell you that it is very important to find ways to counter and disarm the cynicism and jaundiced attitudes that tend to breed wherever bright, idealistic people’s efforts intersect with reality. One sure-fire, if rather expensive cure is to venture into the realm of academia every so often. This is not to say that there is not a practical side to higher education. There is however, within the ivory tower, an overarching appreciation for new ideas and an almost utopian detachment from the trivial day to day operational cares of managing a large, public school in the twenty-first century. And, equally important, there are your fellow travelers who cross and share your path for a time. They come from other places and bring different views and experiences to a shared curriculum which makes for great discussions and occasionally illuminating flashes of insight.
This is where I find myself at the close of the summer semester of ITEC 7410. The new school year is about to start and I carry into it a renewed sense of urgency to be a change agent. The many techniques that we have learned promise several fresh ways to tackle some stale problems. The work and requirements to take a cold hard look at where we are and where we might go has provided me with just enough optimism to counter those who would prefer to maintain the status quo. There are those who would rather not rock the boat even when the oars are missing and the wind is still. So summer is over and it is time to begin another year . . . again. It is time to let people know they might just get wet.
There were a few segments of this course which covered material I was already acquainted with. However, knowing a thing and being asked to use the knowledge of that thing to do something are qualitatively very different things. Another practical aspect of much of the coursework was forcing myself to reevaluate my methods and processes of accomplishing certain tasks that are so old that they as much muscle memory as cognitive exercises. I was forced to admit on more than one occasion that I have not been fully present in my undertaking of a couple of tasks which are central to my job. This served as a healthy splash of cold water to wake me from a self-satisfied daydream. It will be crucial to find ways to continue to challenge myself to rise above past accomplishments over the next few years as we have already done most the easy work in turning this school around. From here on out the steps are steeper.
Wayne
As a long-time technology leader, I can tell you that it is very important to find ways to counter and disarm the cynicism and jaundiced attitudes that tend to breed wherever bright, idealistic people’s efforts intersect with reality. One sure-fire, if rather expensive cure is to venture into the realm of academia every so often. This is not to say that there is not a practical side to higher education. There is however, within the ivory tower, an overarching appreciation for new ideas and an almost utopian detachment from the trivial day to day operational cares of managing a large, public school in the twenty-first century. And, equally important, there are your fellow travelers who cross and share your path for a time. They come from other places and bring different views and experiences to a shared curriculum which makes for great discussions and occasionally illuminating flashes of insight.
This is where I find myself at the close of the summer semester of ITEC 7410. The new school year is about to start and I carry into it a renewed sense of urgency to be a change agent. The many techniques that we have learned promise several fresh ways to tackle some stale problems. The work and requirements to take a cold hard look at where we are and where we might go has provided me with just enough optimism to counter those who would prefer to maintain the status quo. There are those who would rather not rock the boat even when the oars are missing and the wind is still. So summer is over and it is time to begin another year . . . again. It is time to let people know they might just get wet.
There were a few segments of this course which covered material I was already acquainted with. However, knowing a thing and being asked to use the knowledge of that thing to do something are qualitatively very different things. Another practical aspect of much of the coursework was forcing myself to reevaluate my methods and processes of accomplishing certain tasks that are so old that they as much muscle memory as cognitive exercises. I was forced to admit on more than one occasion that I have not been fully present in my undertaking of a couple of tasks which are central to my job. This served as a healthy splash of cold water to wake me from a self-satisfied daydream. It will be crucial to find ways to continue to challenge myself to rise above past accomplishments over the next few years as we have already done most the easy work in turning this school around. From here on out the steps are steeper.
Wayne