As the director of LodeStar Learning, I have the wonderful opportunity of interfacing with many bright and enterprising professionals who are committed to the advancement of education through technology.  They range from: the fellows of Education|Evolving, who are thinking through the redesign of schooling; to professionals at Top Practices, who are forming mastermind groups of people with common interests and goals; to the folks in the trenches who are helping instructors adapt to the ever-changing world of instructional technology.

This site is a blank canvas. Its articles will range from high level policy discussions to home-spun examples of engaging learners.  There will be something for anyone who is interested in educational technology. It will invite the contributions of teachers, technologists, creative writers, policy wonks, as well as some unlikely candidates for this sort of thing - whoever has something of interest to share. 

 In part, this site was inspired  by Clayton Christensen’s book Disrupting Class.   Christenson's broad inquiry into education policy and practice has rekindled my enthusiasm for instructional technology -- at a time when the pioneers of this field are somewhat apologetic. 

http://www.amazon.com/Disrupting-Class-Disruptive-Innovation-Change/dp/B0015DWIYC/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

To me,  Clayton Christensen’s book Disrupting Class points out the trajectory of my own involvement in education.  I started out as a student teacher under the wing of a James Moffett disciple – a proponent of student centered instruction.    My entire career has been dedicated to using technology to create student-centered environments – to recognize differences among students and realize the advantages of self-paced, differentiated instruction.  My career has also been about overcoming challenges and limitations of the bureaucratic and political environment, the ‘factory’ design of schooling and the technology itself.  

In his book, Christensen plots the pace of computer-based instruction substituting ‘monolithic’ learning.  His data suggests that by 2019, 50 percent of high school courses will be delivered online.  That’s an astonishing number.  In his view, computer-based courses are synonymous with student-centered learning.  These are not computer-based courses as they are today – which are oftentimes no different than monolithic, ‘one size fits all’ instruction.  This is computer –based instruction that accounts for student differences and aptitudes for learning and computer-based instruction that realizes the full potential of technology’s ability to present rich media, rich interaction, varied experiences, smart tutoring, communication links, and more. 

Over the years, I’ve spoken about new technologies and new paradigms for learning.  I spoke to the legislative committees about expanding online learning opportunities.  I’ve helped to put mechanisms in place that help students find learning opportunities.   I founded a charter school that blended on-site instruction with online learning.  I started a company, together with Mark Burrs, called LodeStar Learning to help instructors make the most out of current technology – from branched instruction to multimedia to RSS feeds to streaming video to whatever rich opportunities lie ahead.

In these pursuits, I’ve met many amazing people.  This site is dedicated to their voices.  If the site does nothing more than introduce their sites and their activities and help people make connections, I will be quite satisfied.  So here we go.