What will they think of next?!

My friends at RIT sent me a link to an amazing interactive interface that just knocked my socks off. Just when I was trying to think about what might change in schools if we used the immersive technologies available, they go and some up with something even cooler. The tools just keep getting more interactive, collaborative, and just plain fun. What do we need to change to rethink what people need to know in order to make authentic and meaningful use of these things?

I put the video into the blog so go check it out and comment back about what you think and what you imagine doing with this stuff. Remember that it's not just about doing what we have always done more efficiently (Lankshear and Knobel's old wine in new bottles metaphor), but fundamentally redoing schools and imaging their new purpose.

I look forward to seeing what you have to say.

Having hope again

So we have a new president. Walking out of the office the day after the election, I crossed paths with someone who spontaneously said "so do you feel different?" I immediately said "yes I do!" I found myself walking taller (that's something given that I'm 6'3" barefoot). I'm not naive enough to think everything is fixed, but I actually have hope for the first time in what seems like forever.

Obama has already put together some great people for his education team so maybe we can actually get some of the changes needed accomplished: get rid of NCLB, focus on problem posing education where the focus is on learning instead of testing and where everyone counts. Maybe we can imagine again.

I realize I probably sound too idealistic, but it sure feels good to dream.