Fourth Annual One-to-One Computing Conference

As our One-To-One Conference approaches (Yikes! It will be over one week from today!), I'm excited about the prospects of all of us coming together to think about one-to-one computing. It's going to be a great conference. The program is the best yet, with a great mix of researchers, pioneers, and vendors, all sharing their thoughts on how to best use the power offered by one-to-one environments. But...

As we wrap up the first year of Pennsylvania's "Classrooms for the Future" initiative, our legislature is balking on providing the requested funding to take it to the next level, as planned. On the one hand, I'm not surrprised, because there is not much evidence proving to them that it is a good investment. On the other hand, it's like Columbus sailing off and then turning around when he lost sight of the shore. People are either pioneers, or they are not, and it looks like few of our legislators have that pioneering spirit.

What does that mean to us? We need to be RESPONSIBLE pioneers, gathering the data that are required before the "settlers" will follow. As we meet next week, let's spend some time and energy thinking about the sorts of evidence that will be needed, and how we can work together to get it, to prove to the "Settlers" that this frontier is not only safe, but beneficial.

Looking forward to your arrival at the conference!