Just finished up my post on the Innovations in E-Learning Symposium, but I had a few observations outside of the play-by-play. 
I introduced myself to Will Wright. I got to hear Vint Cerf speak. I told Robert Scoble he didn't do a very good job targeting his audience in his workshop. I hung out in a bar with Brenda Brathwaite. Even one of those experiences would have been blog worthy...and I did all of them in one day. I am not easily impressed. I think people should be embarrassed to go "star spotting." At the end of the day, we're all just people...yes, some people have cooler jobs, or have more motivation, or think differently, or sleep less...but it takes a lot for me to be overwhelmed with excitement or nervousness about meeting someone. After all, don't we all have the opportunity to do great things? Its just a matter of hard work, persistence, focus, resilience...but anyone can choose to think differently, to take risks, to try to change the world.
What that day did to me at the conference was strengthen my resolve. The people I look up to are the people who DO things. People who accomplish crazy goals. People who choose to forge their own paths and not be complacent with the status quo. None of these people were satisfied with working within the system...they chose to create their own systems and challenged the way we think about games, communication, technology, learning.
Lots of systems are broken. You can choose to work within a broken system, or you can choose to create something better. I'm shooting for better.
no place like home
4 years ago
I think the same way, Koreen...
ReplyDeleteWhile I am still trying to find what I am good at (aren't all of us?). And would love o be a "star"... I do not get over-impressed with "celebrities" and think they are people like everyone else too...
:)
Yeah, but that's WILL WRIGHT! *G* I think it's good to separate the term "hero" from "celebrity." Paris Hilton is a celebrity. Will Wright is a fitting hero. One has fame simply for fame's sake. The other has fame, but something more--an attribute or attributes worth aspiring to. Will Wright's talk was brilliant and inspirational. Vint Cerf did made me want to think on a scale greater than before. This isn't celebrity stalking, then, as much as it is finding behaviors to model to achieve the outcomes we want for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteLOL, don't get me wrong...I was trying to play it cool about Will Wright...but it was WILL WRIGHT! :) That said, totally agree...there's a big difference between celebrity and hero, or role model, or idol. I think its interesting to hear why someone looks up to someone else...i think that's a pretty deep insight into what motivates each of us. I see people who ignore conventions and create new paradigms and get inspired to do more, to work harder. #iel09 was chock full of that type of inspiration for me, for sure...
ReplyDeleteKoreen - I love this post. I'm also very jealous! GMU/DAU did a great job this year...from the sounds of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your new found energy and motivation applied to DevLearn09. The stage is set. Let's change change the eLearning world!
Many thanks for this particular site. I undoubtedly loved reading it and will definitely talk about it with friends.
ReplyDelete