Between The Lines

01/10/07

We all interpolate our understanding of the world and sometimes extrapolate. And then we just fantasize.

As I sat with partner Bob in a capital hearing room on Monday and listened to Governor Napolitano give her State of the State speech, I let my mind wander into a dream state:

“modernize our classroom curricula … success in the knowledge economy … give our children nothing but the best…”

” >>> eLearning eLearning eLearning;

“curiosity, discovery and invention … technology embedded in our schools – to enhance student learning process …”

>>> Wake up, I am just dreaming?;

“new ways to engage them in learning, to individualize their learning paths ... change our learning environments to match 21^st century needs …

>>> eSATS all the way!;

“get results to teachers, students and parents in real-time so we can help students in real time. Nothing else suffices …”

>>> Real-time means formative assessment with coaching and scaffolding integrated into digital curriculum.;

“School Facilities Board … to build schools … providing an educational environment for our children to learn and compete in 21^st century.”

>>> Stop building schools with 20^th century connectivity and LANS, and embrace the age of high speed broadband.

“our universities … to graduate more students faster.”

>>> K-12 too – faster, better, and more $ for teachers.

“return on our investment will be profound…graduates … will thrive on an economy where creativity, ingenuity and adoption are the rules of the game.)

>>> In this economy, eLearning rules!

“our economy … runs on knowledge and innovation”

>>> What could be more innovative and knowledge based that Arizona’s emerging eLearning industry.

“the bedrock ... infrastructure … includes roads, water supply, … land preservation, … housing, health care, … coordinated growth planning.”

>>> Opps! And where is broadband telecommunications to every Arizona citizen?

“new Arizona Water Institute…”

>>> How about a Digital Curriculum Institute?

“ Innovation Arizona … Education, Foundation, Innovation … roadmap for successful 21^st century… necessities for a rapidly growing state…”

>>> And this grow is profound, growing from 1,000,000 K-12 students to 1,400,000 in 2017. eLearning is not only a great way to increase academic performance, but as the design method for 400 new schools.

Then Bob poked me in the ribs to bring me back to the real world and reminded me we still had work to do.