It’s been really hard to hold off talking about this the last few weeks, but I can finally post about it…
Though it hasn’t officially launched yet, I’ve got my first post up at the Infinite Thinking Machine, a partnership between WestEd and Google for Educators. The blog and podcast (or Internet TV show as they’re calling it) are meant to share a “bazillion practical ideas” for turning the infinite universe of information into knowledge. (Read more about it.)
I sent an email to my fellow ITM bloggers seeking feedback on this “draft” and if any of you are interested in sending me any comments or feedback I’d love to hear from you, too.
Incidentally, I’m thrilled to be a part of this project, and to be writing “along side” the other bloggers who are involved… they are all inspiring writers and practitioners. (Bios should be up on the blog soon, but check out the list of bloggers in Chris Walsh’s first post.) And the podcast is gonna be great… lots of information and lots of fun… great correspondents and really interesting interviews – everyone from Google engineers to k12 students. (I’ve seen the previews! You’ll want to see this.)
Also, if you like what you see, please spread the word. :)
PS. I originally included the paragraph below, but removed it due to concerns about pushing the boundaries of “naked conversations” too much in the first post… but I’ll happily post it here as a supplement to my ITM post:
I also asked Andy how he’d like to see Google Calendar improved in the future. The ability for editors to see multiple calendars was something he wished readers could take advantage of as well. He was also disappointed by frustrations such as limitations on sizing of events, on different sized windows, word wrap, and drag & drop functionality. In addition, he felt constrained by the half-hour increments. (Our colleague David Conlay also suggested the wiki calendars, complete with histories of revisions, over at jot.com as a model for new features.)
The ITM is a positive vehicle for K-12 educators to share stories and ideas that tap into the infinite resources available on the Internet. Our goal is simple: to show how today’s digital tools can impact student learning in meaningful ways. The ITM is about learning, thinking, communicating, and creativity – not technology. We sincerely hope that this blog and our media productions can jumpstart a wider conversation about innovation and creativity in K-12 education, and we look forward to hearing your ideas and feedback.