I will be out of the country for most of next week. I will have access to email (except when I am in-flight/traveling) though I may not be able to reply as to emails as promptly as I would like. For those who care I will be in Twente University, in the Netherlands, conducting a symposium on technology, learning & creativity to students in a master’s program in curriculum development & educational innovation. I hope to continue blogging when I am there… but it all depends on how much time I have.

Twente University has a small (at least compared to giant land-grant, mid-western campuses I am used to) but extremely cute campus and I had a wonderful time when I was there last year. One of the best part of my visit (apart from the wonderful people I met) was the campus. I took a walk around campus the first day I was there and let me just say, the campus is a photographer’s delight. All over campus are idiosyncratic and fascinating pieces of art, just thrown around, here and there, for you to discover. For instance, as I was walking around, I turned a corner and came across this!

I have no idea who created this and for what reason, but I really don’t care. I just think it is great that somebody created this for people to enjoy. I like that. I find it wonderfully invigorating. And this is an image I have used in multiple contexts over the past year. Those of you who have seen some of my recent presentations may have seen this image. I typically use after I my slide that attempts to capture of all the new technologies teachers have to deal with. I show that slide and then ask (rhetorically) “What are teachers to do?” as this image flashes on the screen.

Another image I have used repeatedly is that of the “Idea Catcher.” That incidentally is the actual title of this piece of sculpture.

You can see other photographs I took last year by clicking here.

I leave the Netherlands on Thursday to go to Atlanta for the annual conference of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE). I chair the committee on Innovation & Technology and this is my last meeting, as I shall be stepping down. It has been a fun and exciting ride but I am ready to move on.

I am looking forward to meeting with the other committee members, as well as catching up with some old friends before heading back to East Lansing.