Where did the summer go?

Wow! When I look at my last blogpost I wonder where the summer went. Last I knew I was at ISTE in Denver - hobnobbing with Second Life avatars and docents and experimenting with project based learning. Now I'm back at work, reworking our resources webpage (http://medianet.caboces.org) and trying to pick up wifi networks with an ipad.

The future of education is a wonderment to me. Our country is in such a financial dilemma - people are laid off, school districts aren't hiring new positions and our schools are definitely practicing atrition when it comes to anyone leaving or retiring. At this point federal and state funds are being distributed almost routinely, but that will end by next year. Or, so I am told by keynote speakers at our respective curriculum camps and opening day ceremonies.

Schools need to find ways to minimize costs. Some services should, perhaps, be privitized. Services need to be paid for collectively and regions, as well as districts, need to merge.

So far it's business as usual for me and my department. Fortunately, in this rural area, the districts still purchase our CoSers (cooperative services). We provide hardy, beefy, media and distance learning services, so it is to the district's advantage to participate in our services. There is a huge push for streaming media. Districts can make money, also, by hosting distance learning classes. I feel sorry for the districts that don't have the availability of these resources.