Range of Interests and Concerns

I expect this blog to travel a somewhat winding road through a range of interests and concerns I have in the areas of professional development and the use of technology in K-12 education. Although I have been and educator more than 30 years -- most of them as a special education classroom teacher, I have worked full time since the early 90's to promote effective educational use of technology in K-12 public schools with a focus on professional development to directly impact teaching and learning in the classroom. I believe that technology can be a transformative tool in education for both teachers and students, but I also believe that ample and appropriate professional development must be provided along with sufficient time for teachers to reflect and plan their use of technology -- preferably in collaboration with colleagues, or the full potential impact on student learning will not be realized. I worry about the commitment and will to provide the resources necessary for this endeavor. And I worry that failure to transform our public education system for the better will result in a long term loss of competitive edge in the world. The world may be flat, but without a commitment to our children we could be in for a very bumpy road.