Jan

12

How to get here from there…

January 12, 2007 | | Leave a Comment

Was informed the other day that we will be lucky enough to have a visit from yet another inspiring fount of wisdom next month in the person of Dr. Jason Ohler.

Jason is an educator and has built a thriving consulting and speaking business helping and encouraging educators as they begin to handle the enormous challenges of creating new learning communities in a digital age.  His specialities lie in art - he calls it the esperanto of the Internet - and digital storytelling.

I am currently chomping on Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail.  I think that Jason is a perfect example of the effects of the e-age.  He is from Alaska.  Ten years ago – maybe even less – he would still be teaching in Alaska.  He would be a local leader, but likely not very well known outside of his own district. 

Now, thanks to the long tail economics made possible by the Internet and publishing, Jason is able to spread his message to a wide audience, selling his product (himself) to a relatively niche market – successfully.

Jason is unique now…his story is compelling, but there is more of this coming.  Five years from now more people will be working globally.  The successful people will be those that are able to harvest, manipulate, create and communicate new information, new stories – just like Jason. This is the world we are need to be preparing our children for.

I am excited that our DOE is bringing yet another strong and vibrant voice into our midst.  Maybe there is hope for change after all.

technorati tags: education, ohler, technology

 


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