networking or innovating?

I was in a conversation with a colleague from our IT department today, and I asked him whether he would prefer to use a wiki or a Google doc to collaborate on a creative project. He said that he had another, better, tool that he'd use. I asked him the cost of the tool, and he (surprisingly) said it was free ware; however, after some coaxing he did admit that you had to purchase a server to implement it. Although the kid that cracked the iPhone did have to initially purchase the device, it seems that the next generation of innovation will be found in innovation without big start-up costs. Or, maybe not. . .

Discovery (from Sunday the 30th)

I've been toiling with the conundrum of why it's been so tough to get myself started teachning lately, and I've come to the conclusion that after you've taugh a very static course for a very long time, the work begins to feel more like that of a professional grader than a fully functional teacher. Don't get me wrong, I thrive on the threads, but I think that I might need to mix it up a bit next term in the assignments.

Anyway, we did some shopping yesterday, and I spent much of the rest of the day onling finish up the week for classes.

The Gardens

We had a great day at the botanical gardens today--started with a visit to the children's section, and then had a nice picnic by the steep grassy area. I was inspired to begin the "digging area" project out by the play house, and had some real success with a couple of simple 2x8 boards. Seamus used his dollar to purchase some "strawberry popcorn seeds." They look neat.

What did I learn today?

I made some neat discoveries about the social networking site that our school has already launched, and am considered running a "Creative and Critical" thinking pilot this term. It's nice that I don't have to invent the proverbial wheel to give these ideas a shot.

hello world

OK, I'm not really a programmer, but this did seem to be the fittest title for the first entry. I'm currently working on some technology research stuff, partially influenced by some of the presentations that I viewed at the eCollege CiTE conference this week, and thought that it was about time that I made camp and set up shop online with my very own blog. I'd give a quotation from Elliot here about you and I going now, and being "etherized upon a table," but I suppose that you'd expect that, so I won't. See you online. . .