Fifteen years ago today I was guarding detention when I wrote the first post on this blog. I had no idea what was going to happen in the next fifteen years, let alone that I would still be writing about educational technology in 2022. So on this occasion, if you allow me, I would like to take a few minutes to reflect on the past fifteen years. people and places
I’ve met some great people and made some great friends through writing my blog. I have been invited to speak at events on six of the seven continents over the past fifteen years. If someone is organizing a conference in Antarctica, I would be happy to speak there. I have attended events in 49 of the 50 states. New Mexico is the only one I miss. And I’ve spoken at events in every Canadian province that borders the United States (one of my old dogs must have accompanied a few of those from 2012). But none of this would have happened without the support of everyone who has followed my blog and invited me to their schools and conferences over the years. Thanks!
Sadly, some of the people I’ve met through this blog (and social media) over the years are no longer with us. Sylvia and Allen immediately come to mind and I hope they knew their work mattered.
social media
Over the years I’ve seen social media go from that weird place where only the really techy/geeky people hang out to the really weird place it is today. I’m glad I didn’t give up blogging to chase after likes and views on social media.
Only a few of the people who blogged regularly when I started still do so regularly. Larry Ferlazzo, Vicki Davis, Kevin Hodgson, Stephen Downes and Alan Levine seem to be the only ones I followed back then who are still there regularly today. Continue like that!
Could have, should have
Eight years ago, I was lucky enough to sell this blog for a sum that would have given me a lot of financial flexibility (especially considering that I was single and debt-free). I succeeded because I wasn’t sure what I would have done with myself without blogging. In hindsight, I probably should have accepted the offer. Well, live and learn.
Punctuation
In 1997, my first-grade teacher wrote on one of my papers, “you throw punctuation like it’s confetti.” I’m sure I still do because good readers have corrected me over the years. My favorite was the person who used the purple non-caps comic font to correct my mistakes.
More good than bad
I’ve had some nasty emails over the years (yes, from teachers) and some of them really sting. Overall, the good ones far outweigh the bad ones. And I hope I have done more good than harm in the last fifteen years as well.
The fight against plagiarism has been a source of frustration for almost all of the past fifteen years. I try to make it a teaching opportunity, even if it really exhausts me.