I can't believe how quickly things change. Ten years ago, I was still in the classroom, confronting the issues that all teachers do--including that pervasive sense of alienation that comes from being the only adult in a sea of students all day long. In those days, professional development often looked like one day workshops that took place on conference days. I still see a place for that sort of training--it's where we gain awareness and get our first introduction to new ideas. It wasn't until I was brought into a PLC around differentiated instruction, though, that I really found myself inspired to lead professional development sessions myself. It was during that experience that I began to understand how teaching is truly about being a life-long student. That awareness is what keeps me excited about the field that I chose to dedicate my life to twenty years ago. And to think that I worried about job burn out then!

Over the weekend, our nephew was visiting. Colin is a English Education major at Canisius College, and he's set to start his student teaching in the fall. It was a bit surreal, talking shop with the same person I used to take to Discovery Zone before it closed. It was also incredibly fun. Before we left on the camping trip that we had slated for his stay, I gave him a brief tour of the corner of the edublogosphere that I'm most familiar with, and we took a peek at some of the new technologies that forward-thinking professional development specialists are starting to use to make learning more powerful and collaboration easier. By the time I logged off the internet, his head was swimming. I can relate.

I remember leaving undergraduate school wondering if I would ever have the opportunity to learn in that way again--in a community that sustained itself over time. Maintaining the energy and the passion that we have for the work that we do can be difficult once our preservice days are over. I never wanted to become stagnant. I never wanted my work to get stale. Nobody does. Yet, it happens. The reality of that always nips at my heels a bit.

After talking with Colin, I realized how incredibly fortunate I am to be in the position that I am in right now. This summer, I get to work with kids, and I get to work with teachers. I'm going to be "observed" again. I get to be coached! I will also have more time to write in this space and to learn from others who are doing the same. Twenty years ago, I "learned" to teach. And then I graduated. Ten years ago, professional development was something that was given to me. Five years ago, it became something that I gave to others. This year? Well, I know that the boundaries defining how we learn as teachers have expanded far beyond what I might have ever imagined, and yet I know that there is so much more that I could be doing. I'm not even sure what that may be yet, though. I'm getting more comfortable with that knowledge...that uncertainty.

Learning never ends. That was the conversation that Colin and I had this weekend. In the coming months, I'm hoping that this space will become a place for me capture what I learn as the work that I am doing continues to change shape and take on new meaning. I'm also looking forward to nurturing the professional relationships I have with others online and face-to-face as well. Those relationships, I've discovered, have inspired more personal growth and learning than anything provided to me by way of textbook or workshop. In this way, knowledge isn't something I simply give or take. Learning isn't something provided, at all. It's something we grow. It's something we share.

photo by mickyates

In Part 1, I discussed how volunteerism is cool again.  In this post, I will share some of the direct personal benefits of community service.

A long term commitment to volunteering for a cause you believe in is more than a line item on your resume. Here are 5 reasons you should find a 501c3 to support with your time and energy.  Since there are almost 2 million of them in the US, there's at least one that matches your interests.

Networking

There's no better opportunity to meet friendly people in your community.  If you're new to town, charity work introduces you to locals with at least one thing in common with you --- your own cause celebre.

While volunteering, you also might find yourself crossing paths with others in your industry.  While tutoring underserved teens of teaching Fido to sit before adoption day, you might meet someone at a competing firm with an opening that peaks your interest or find another client for your business.  If you're exceptionally ambitious, you might research where key executives (at your company of choice) volunteer, so you can intend to make their acquaintance over your "shared" love of Hungarian culture.

Leadership skills

I've already the implication of early and steady development of leadership skills in part one.

Since non-profits rely on volunteers to keep the mission alive,  these students would have real world, quantifiable experiences. Imagine helping raise $1 million to fight cancer or doubling membership numbers for an organization before the age of 21.  Accordingly,  it might give college graduates a chance to bypass the entry level grunt work that yields corporate churn and help allay Boomer concerns about inexperienced twenty somethings looking for a fast track to management.

New and existing skills put to use

Volunteers typically look to apply skills they already have.  I've found the opportunity to learn new skills even more satisfying.  Knowing I wanted to move out of research, I looked for gaps in the offerings of an organization I regularly work with.  In focusing on how to extend their brand on the web, I put together a proposal looking at the best sites to target and how competing groups use the space.  Since then, I've worked to implement some of those proposed ideas.    So I now have a great example of my ability to identify a weakness, strategize potential solutions and implement the best ideas using limited resources.

And who can't benefit from improved communication skills.  Volunteering at events turns you into an ambassador for the organization.   Successful liasing with guests and members could yield important donations and sponsorships for the organization.  These interactions make you more prepared to handle clients and senior management at the work place.

Local recognition

People like to be validated for their efforts.  That's why the local chamber of commerce, leadership groups, and, very likely, your favorite charity acknowledge the contributions of community members throughout the year.  Just being nominated means an invitation to the festivities swirling with potential business contacts.  Whether or not you take home a certificate, your name is out there as someone committed to the ideals of the group.  And being associated with a commitment to philanthropy and improving your community is NEVER a bad thing

Feel good fuzzies

At the end of the day, it just feels good to do something positive.  Trust me, you'll sleep better knowing that you've brought a smile to a cancer patient's face or three dogs that would have been euthanized have new homes because you sold their adoptive parents on the joys of pet ownership. Being a Big Brother or Sister to a kid living on the poverty line helps you to count your own blessings and put your problems in perspective.

Sure, being altruistic can seem selfish at times, but all the best relationships are two-way streets.

How has volunteering impacted your life?

Constructing Modern Knowledge 2008 will be held in Manchester, NH -- July 28th - 31st -- Register Now!

Gary Stager is the organizer, and it's co-sponsored by The Constructivist Consortium and The Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation.

Bring your laptop, digital camera, and your imagination to this one!
It should be a blast!

A long time has passed since I recorded a pipe band competition. When I was a kid I would haul around this bulky cassette apparatus to places like Alma, Michigan, to capture the Grade 1 bands. I still have those somewhere. I then progressed to a Sony Professional system, which for a while was state-of-the-art for handheld remote analog recordings.

But I recently picked up a little device that makes very high-end digital audio captures - not really for my own interest, but for yours. I used it for the first time at Kincardine yesterday. Being on the roster of a band, I recused myself from judging the Grade 1 event, which allowed me to record the contest. The files - 128-bit MP3 format - are very good, and I hope pipes|drums readers/listeners enjoy them.

Interesting, too, that in sync with my plans Michael Grey wrote about the change in the speed of piping and pipe band information due to technology. Like him, I remember well the days when news of results from Scotland would come not hours or even days after the event, but sometimes months in the form of the Pipe Band or Piping Times magazines when I used to read them.

To be honest, I felt a bit of a tube being one of the recording geeks, but I think the trade-off is small price to pay. I plan to bring more of these to the magazine as I can coordinate them.

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]]> http://webitor.wordpress.com/?p=12 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:23:54 +0000 Christine http://webitor.wordpress.com/?p=12 It's sometimes tough to know what the best conferences (i.e., worth my time and money) are for editors and others in the publishing business. So far my favorite is:

Stanford Publishing Courses for Professionals- They offer three annual conferences, though I have only attended their Publishing on Web course. It's a 3-day course that is pricey but worth the money. They keep things moving along quickly and cover a lot of ground in 3 days. They also do site critiques that go a long way in providing valuable feedback. The speakers (all but one) were all notable people at the top of their game who gave insightful tips and offered their views on the future of publishing.

This is a list of tools that teachers are finding of great value to their personal and professional lives. These are much less about formal learning or searching for resources, although they can be, they are more about connecting to people, to thinking and to ideas for your on professional development. You can keep track of groups that you belong to using these tools or you can use them to build your own informal networks. You can use them in isolation but they are much more powerful when you aggregate and integrate them to make your own powerful platform for connecting. Let me know what you would add or change in the core set.

1. Google Calendar Shows events in your time zone and can pull in other events and group calendars into your own calendar. The calendar can be embedded in any pages so that we can keep events in our communities on our individual horizons.

2. Skype Access to chat and voice support. Teachers have access to just-in-time support with each other, mentors, and their communities. Skype can be used for teacher professional development events where voice discussion is required.

3. Wiki (Wikispaces or Mediawiki OR Google docs). For collaborative writing, for instance building knowledge artefacts on a particular learning difficulty, developing new lessons, community writing of a how to case study guide, or customizing units of work for local context.

4. Facebook Teacher groups for Facebook are growing. You can join a group or build your own community of peers and colleagues by adding them to your friends list. You can even keep in touch with a community group long after an event has ended (for instance e/merge2008 starting next week). For teachers this puts you in the centre of a social network that you can use for everyday activity with colleagues, friends and family.

5. Twitter Push out simple little 140 character messages about teaching issues and updates. Let colleagues know what your up to and what issues you are facing or how yo are choosing to unwind. Teachers can sign up to follow key colleagues and friends who send out reminders, updates, links or elicit advice.

6. Blog Journaling or reflecting on your teaching practices can be carried out on a blog. Teachers can take the RSS feeds from others' blogs to keep abreast of the thinking, ideas etc. You can have a collaborative blog where teachers can be invited to be guest bloggers from time to time. There are a number of blogs like this (see Ted Castronova terra Nova http://terranova.blogs.com/terra_nova/ )

7. Del.ic.ious tags – Like bookmarking but on a globally shared scale. You can create a specific tag to identify resources, literature, sites and discussions that are relevant to a specific aspect of teaching. Follow the trail of tags to locate like minded educators or to build a support network.

8. Netvibes (or iGoogle) to aggregate all the tools and feeds into one interface. This personal aggregator can bring together all of the above tools and their feeds and updates (and others you have subscribed to) in one interface. This can become the homepage of your Web browser.

So it's Day 2 I will be attending! Expect photos, reviews and reflections!

• Reduced costs:   you can pretty much buy anywhere from 3-5 subnotebooks for the price of a regular laptop.
• Open-source alternative OS:  the "lean and mean" sub-notebook hardware begs for a linux-based operating system, creating a good opportunity to introduce your customers to non-windows alternatives at the public terminals.
• portability:   unlike regular-sized laptops, taking a lab of 5-10 subnotebooks on the road could be done with a simple backpack (and a back to go with it).   There is a great opportunity for community technology outreach with these machines.

Step one was to convince the powers that be that I need one of these things to play with.   At a mere $399 for the ASUS EEE PC (the one I'm going to speak about today), this was an easy ask.    When it came in, there was enthusiasm all around about this machine from all levels of staff.   It looks good; it can fit in a purse; it's sexy; it surprises the heck out of people when you say it's dirt cheap.

The Xandros install that comes with the EEE is intuitive to most I've shown it to.    My initial thoughts are that Xandros is fine for most public use.

That said, having asked a few staff about its potential, there are a good number of cons that need to be considered as well:

• the keyboard, monitor and mouse pad are way too small for anyone with hands larger than a 12 year-olds.   Libraries would almost definitely require a separate mouse and keyboard for these machines.   People with vision issues would need a separate display as well.
• Xandros is pretty limited for all but the most basic productive uses.   One of the reasons I would want to introduce linux to the public is to have interesting and/or unique software (like noteedit, Emacs, the kde line of software, sqlite etc.) available for use, not to mention Ubuntu's for-free Assistive Technology options.
• Installing and configuring another system (like Ubuntu) does require someone with some linux experience (although Justin Gill has done a great job with instructions for configuring wireless in Ubuntu 8 (Hardy Heron).    I've also had to reconfigure the wireless after a standard update using the synaptics package manager as well.    This could be quite a pain in the long run, unless you have techie front-line staff.
• Although not confirmed, the size of the EEE PC does make it a likely victim of a theft.
• It gets really hot.   It's not a laptop really, because it's intended for a table or desk, not your lap.   And using this on a couch, bed, carpet or anything that would block a square centimeter of the ventilation areas would really kill the lifetime of this laptop.
• No really cool games are available despite the linux distribution you use.    Even if you install XP, it is not likely you will be able to get any large-scale software on it afterwards.    No Second Life.   No World of Warcraft.

So far, we've experimented with the EEE PC as a support for ESL classes.   The bottom line is that the computer is too small to be used for most learners in this group.   However, I do think there are some realistic uses for it:

• It could be a lost-cost alternative for presentations in branches.
• The keyboard is the right size for smaller children -- so a program with educational games seems appropriate.
• A number of them could be useful as a lab for state/provincial libraries to offer professional development to rural libraries.
• A combination of a laptop, keyboard, mouse and screen projector could be really good for a one-to-one IT clinic for older adults (and it would still be cheaper than buying a laptop).
• It could be useful as a lender program, provided that customers will understand that this is a linux-based, teeny-tiny laptop.
• There is an opportunity here as a support piece for programs as well.   For instance, people who attend our ESL programs often bring their children.    It could be good to hand children a EEE PC while they are waiting for their mom or dad to finish their ESL sessions.
• Add a wifi package to a EEE and you could provide bibliographic instruction to people who use homebound or books by mail services.
• The EEE could be good to expand roving reference services, balancing the portability of a hand-held with the usability of a desk/laptop.

In the end, I do not think the subnotebook is going to solve all our problem regarding providing flexible and effective access to information and technology inside and outside the library.   The future is promising, but I need to see a little bit more before I am going to go bandwagon on this model of service.

These are some things I look for in comparison to where I was six months ago:

1) Am I making any progress on career goals?

2) Reflect on some of the valuable experiences I had (good and bad).

3) What new stuff did I learn?

4) Am I more, less, or the same value in today's job market?

5) Do others view me as more, less, or equally favorable?

Then I update my resume accordingly.  If I don't have any updates to the actual resume, but am making good progress toward something, then I'm OK with that and will drive to getting it added in the January revision.  But if I haven't made progress, I'm not more valuable, and I haven't learned anything... well, might be time to do some serious introspection between burgers during the holiday cookout.

What's wrong with this picture?

Well, yeah, the dragon's in a cage, but the dragon's still breathing fire. Good for the dragon. I think I need to follow the dragon's example.

Since I went live with my real identity, I feel like I've been caged and my fire has most certainly been reduced.

A number of bloggers I've read recently have talked about struggling with going "live" or remaining covert. Tough decision. I've seen how it affects my writing and I'm not real happy.

Anonymity is not a free pass to be rude or sloppy with the facts. But being out there as yourself can inhibit expression.

Lately I've been reviewing the internet literature on standard-based grading and marvelling about my loss of literary passion. I've never stooped to ad hominem attacks on adversaries, but I've never backed off from calling plays as I see them.

Lately, I've been somewhat mute. I'm not afraid of lawsuits, but don't to embarrass folks I care about. The fact is, though, if they're worth caring about, they won't be embarrassed by me. That goes for my fellow board members and my excellent superintendent.

So the first thing I'm going to tackle is the irresponsibility of print and internet publications that wear the mantle of "official and valid teacher information." The Teacher Magazine blog board is one of those gratuitous fonts of drivel and cool stuff that enjoys the halo effect of education establishment legitimation. See if you can find some problems I have with this particular edition...

PS: Tomorrow I'm gonna wish myself Happy Independence Day for a number of different reasons. ;)

How can you access the wealth of information available on the
Library’s Web site?  What resources and services can assist you?

The Digital Reference Section (DRS) conducts a free, one-hour
orientation monthly, on the second Wednesday at 11 a.m. - noon, Eastern
time, via Web conference.  Throughout the program, DRT staff provide
opportunities to ask questions, learn strategies for online access of
the materials, and sample the collections and resources provided to
facilitate your research.

The next session will be July 9, 11 a.m. - noon, Eastern time.  To
learn more and register for the Orientation, visit
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/orientation.html.  Confirmation will be
sent via email.  Each session is limited to fifteen people, on a
first-come, first-served basis.  For more information or to request an
Orientation for a group, contact the Digital Reference Team via the Ask
A Librarian form at http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-digital.html.

Network Member Question:

I'd like to get information about Supply Chain Management Certificate/Course in USA/CANADA. Preferred top Universities.

Andre Caliman, Sales and Marketing Executive, Brazil

My Answer:

The question regarding the real-world viability of the various programs being offered by institutions and associations at times conjurs up images of Nero playing the fiddle while Rome was burning.The greatest challenge that is faced is how the business community views these designations. And in this regard, many programs continue to overlook some critical facts.

A 2007 survey of CFOs produced these startling results:

73% of the total average annual savings claimed by an organization’s purchasing department, are rejected by CFOs as being invalid.  They do not impact the bottom line, and as a result minimize the perceived value of purchasing to the organization.  (Note: cost avoidance is one of the many savings myths that continue to be championed in course materials as a viable objective that is worthy of pursuit.)

This “absence of value” was further emphasized in the same study, which found that more than 80% of all CFOs interviewed do not believe that the CPO and his/her department make any meaningful contribution to the organization as a whole.

Finally, in a CPO Agenda Roundtable, senior executives expressed the opinion that purchasing departments are best run by individuals who do not have (or come from) a purchasing background.

As an international speaker these as well as other findings continue to resonate with my audiences as purchasing professionals strive to carve out their place in the emerging global marketplace.

With the focus of most association certification programs just now beginning to shift to a platform that will eventually (and hopefully) elevate the professional designation to a level that is seen as being on a par with that of a CA or CPA, the real issues we face is not how we view the programs as a profession, but how other professions within the corporate heirarchy view us and the corresponding value we bring to the table.

Once again, and given the growing recognition of the importance of looking outside of the realm of traditional "educational thinking", it is through this filter of real-world understanding that you should evaluate the veracity of any curriculum.

Specifically, take prospective course materials to individuals from other departments within your own organization, such as finance and IT.  Ask them their thougths concerning the value of the curriculum and how it meshes with their objectives from both an individual department and enterprise wide standpoint.

Since posting Part 5 of the Dangerous Supply Chain Myths series in June of 2007, I have written numerous articles that have collectively provided a picture of a profession that is at the crossroads of tremendous opportunity and debilitating misperception.  A sort of “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times” scenario.

That said and in conjunction with today’s anniversay post titled Talent Attraction and Retention: An Exercise in Platitudes?, I have provided some pre-reading materials from more recent posts.

Once you have reviewed these posts, I would then suggest that you read Part 5 as it will provide some needed context from a current day perspective.

How leadership repeatedly under-mines their most valuable procurement asset (November 20, 2007): http://procureinsights.wordpress.com/2007/11/20/how-leadership-repeatedly-under-mines-their-most-valuable-procurement-asset/

Bridging the Communications Gap Between Financing and Purchasing (January 31, 2008): http://procureinsights.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/bridging-the-communications-gap-between-finance-and-purchasing/

The Value of the Certification Process (March 3, 2008): http://procureinsights.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/the-value-of-the-certification-process-a-pi-q-and-a/

For those of you who want to gain an even greater understanding of the factors that are reshaping our profession for the next 25 years and beyond, you can purchase my White Paper for $15 (free to subscribers) through the link below.

Talent Attraction and Retention in a Global Economy (White Paper): http://procureinsights.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/talent-attraction-and-retention-in-a-global-economy-white-paper-release/

Dangerous Supply Chain Myths (Part 5) – Reprinted from June 12, 2007

Segment 5 – Talent Attraction and Retention: An Exercise in Platitudes?

• Talent Attraction & Retention
  A supply chain is not an abstract network driven by processes and machines, but a real network driven by people.  Good supply chains run on good people.  Supply Chain Success will be impossible without the right talent, which is becoming rarer every day thanks to the global talent war.  Any organization that does not have a good process in place to identify necessary skills, evaluate organizational gaps, and identify, recruit, develop, and maintain talent is doomed to become a second class citizen in the emerging international marketplace.

Talent attraction and retention begins and ends with the pre-existence of firmly established core values and a clearly defined strategy.  In other words, attracting and retaining talent is not an exercise in and of it self but is the by-product of a sound procurement strategy and practice.

To be even more direct and taking a page from the world of sports good player’s want to be part of a good (re: winning) team.

As discussed in the previous segment, the majority of companies fail to establish a strong organizational foundation of understanding through effective avenues of communication.  Therefore, the very same risks associated with looking to external consultants for direction exist when recruiting outside talent.

Introducing a new recruit into an environment that is found wanting in this critical area regardless of his or her individual skill level, will result in frustration and ultimate failure for both the company and the individual.

Are you a Doom Loop Company?

In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins made reference to the Doom Loop and Flywheel concepts.

In the former, corporate leadership builds their strategy based on misinformation and therefore lack a clear understanding of the real challenges their organizations’ face.  They then attempt to implement an initiative which after failing to solicit feedback from key stakeholders does not receive the required buy-in.  The initiative then flounders and as a result cannot gain the necessary traction to drive positive results.  Before you know it, the company is back at square one.  (Once again refer to the 75 to 85% rate of e-procurement initiative failure.)

Conversely, the good to great companies (the majority of whom ironically promote from within their corporate ranks versus looking to an outside source for leadership and guidance), relied on a “down-to-earth, pragmatic, committed-to-excellence process – a framework – which kept each company, its leaders, and its people on track for the long haul.  This Collins asserted demonstrated the “triumph of the Flywheel Effect over the Doom Loop.”  (I would strongly recommend that you obtain a copy of Collins’ book Good to Great to learn more about the Flywheel Effect as well as the other interesting results from his extensive research.)

So before you actually enter the competition for talent fray, you have to ask yourself these critical questions;  

1. Has my organization established the necessary channels of communication with all of its key stakeholders?
2. Has my organization firmly established a solid foundation of understanding in terms of its current procurement practice (including areas of potential improvement)?
3. Has my organization clearly identified a course of action that is capable of achieving its stated objectives?
4. Has my organization received the necessary stakeholder buy-in to systematically achieve graduated results on a consistent basis?

If you cannot answer these questions with a confident yes, you are not ready to bring in a seasoned veteran let alone pursue a talented young prospect.

This is why the ISM, CAPS and Kearney report is problematic.  They throw out superlatives such as mutipronged strategies and competency maps with a key challenge being the ability for leaders to “manage and motivate” individuals across functions, geographies, cultures and generations.  (Makes me wonder to whom this report is actually directed?)

Taking another page out of Collins’ book where he highlights a number of corporate myths his research found (and I quote); “Companies that make the change from good to great have no name for their transformation – and absolutely no program.  They neither rant nor rave about a crisis – and they don’t manufacture one where none exists.  They don’t motivate people – their people are self-motivated.  There’s no evidence of a connection between money and change mastery.  And fear doesn’t drive change – but it does perpetuate mediocrity.”

Collins’ research ultimately reached the conclusion that “dramatic results do not come from dramatic process – not if you want them to last, anyway.”  He went on to say that “a serious revolution, one that feels like a revolution to those who are going through it, is highly unlikely to bring about a sustainable leap from being good to great.”  The City of Houston’s SAP initiative comes to mind here.

Therefore, the prognostication rhetoric associated with the majority of reports as to how the future will unfold really comes down to nothing more complex than the ability to listen and understand.  This is the true starting point.

By listening to the concerns and objectives of key stakeholders from both within and external to your organization, you will gain a practical, real-world understanding of the forces that influence and therefore will shape your procurement practice.

It is at the point when you understand the importance of the simple listening-understanding precept that you begin to influence the future versus having the future influence you.

I want to emphasize that I am not suggesting that papers such as the ISM, CAPS and Kearney report are devoid of value.  What I am saying is that your ability to properly filter and effectively apply the information to your specific situation is the seminal point.  And the only way to achieve this result is to truly understand your working environment.

And it is from within the framework of this type of environment that you will be able to identify and pursue the kind of talent that will prosper both the company and the individual.  And this is ultimately the best way to attract and keep top notch talent.  Next Installment: Enablement of the Supply Management Organization

To learn more about the Dangerous Supply Chain Series as well as our other Seminars, simply use the following URL Link: http://procureinsights.wordpress.com/seminars-and-conferences-with-jon-hansen/