Doing it first, making trouble and inspiring some change: Ewan Mcintosh

Ewan Mcintosh's recent post Doing it first, making trouble and inspiring some change is classic Ewan. One of the main reasons why I was so pleased to have the opportunity to meet him and make his acquaintance this summer in San Antonio, Texas at NECC 2008. Rarely, do I read something that Ewan has written that I disagree with and learn something meaningful from, the same holds true with this recent post by him.

Ewan will be starting a new job with channel 4 , 4ip, as the Digital Commissioner for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

It's time to reinvent the mainstream.

It's not television, it's not broadcasting. It's about harnessing the networks that are out there, virtual or real-world, and creating new models of interaction for an audience that, increasingly, is online rather than on the box."

Do it first
Channel 4 has become synonymous with pushing limits, and with our freedom we should keep doing just that.

Make trouble
While we won't make trouble for the sake of it, a season with no trouble is one with too little creative risk.

Inspire change
Channel 4 wants to challenge the views of the world and open minds.

Education continues to be a fertile area for new ideas and exploitations of technology, and learning and interacting with others on projects is still very much my passion. I'll continue to scour the landscape for ideas and edu.blogs.com will continue to be a place where I share those finds and my views on learning. But now, folks, it's going to be very much outside the echo chamber. You have been warned...

Being "a fertile area for new ideas and exploitations of technology" is, in my opinion, what is so exciting and challenging about education and how we as educators approach technology and implement it in our classrooms.

Make trouble
While we won't make trouble for the sake of it, a season with no trouble is one with too little creative risk.

I absolutely love this quote! If you are not willing to push the boundaries of what is the acceptable or the norm you will never be making trouble. You have to get into a little bit of trouble by taking that creative riskevery once in a while to challenge those who say "...but we have always done it this way."

Wrap your head around some new ideas, think outside of the box, push the edge of the envelope. Only then will you know what you are capable of accomplishing.

With innovators and mentors like Ewan Mcintosh out there giving us new ideas, who knows what is possible. And more to the point, what is possible for our students if we dare to make trouble.

I don't know what he will be doing so all I can say is Good luck Ewan, I will be looking forward to what you will be working on.

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