Comfort Zone

When does the IT world become the actual world for everyone. I'm posting an interesting video where music, the international language, is shared via the Internet and is created as well as shared using the tools of technology.




I found the last class session to be most useful in preparation for our group project for a classroom of the future. The environment discussion gave me a better feeling for how my group may want things to feel. I got a sensation of having a foundation although nothing at all has really been addressed by my group for what we're doing. The interesting part of this project is the requirement that we all be located at different sites and work with what we know to bring a viable presentation together. It is exciting because I'm certain the members of my group have so much to offer. However we manage to bring it to the table, I'm sure it will end up a quality product. I'm looking forward to a time (hopefully soon) that we can all meet and begin planning. I know we are all extremely busy.

The validation of people's feelings really strikes a chord in me. In my line of work that is an important consideration to always keep in mind. Besides just doing drug and alcohol counseling, I am also responsible for preparing lessons and delivering classroom presentations to varioius groups. Everything I learn in the JDP is transferable to what I am doing. Besides my "day" job there is the continuing push to work with educational technology in K-12 settings where the next wave of techies is being groomed. The question of how we validate the outcome of student work and maintain a high level of engagement is always at the forefront of any assessment of what is happening in the classroom.

I am fascinated by the constant questioning of why we need to do anything the way that it has been done for so long. Being creatures of habit, it just seems natural to do it "that way". It really is not that far of a stretch for the imagination to envision a world working to a different tune, at a different pace, in a different and more free thinking way. The present mindset is well entrenched however, and like other entities involving tradition and routine, will take time to change.