Connections

I have not posted for several days because we have been out of town and our time has been occupied. We made a trip to Ames, Iowa, for Iowa State University’s homecoming festivities. Cindy and I graduated from ISU MANY years ago and we returned for homecoming because we were recognized by ISU with an alumni achievement award.

Grabes receiving alumni award

Dean of Human Sciences, Cindy, Mark

We did have an opportunity to meet with faculty members involved in preparing teachers to use technology to share ideas and experiences. It was a special weekend for us and I was reminded of George Siemen’s comment on the importance of connections in a rapidly changing worlds. We have the opportunity to remain connected to our educational institutions.

ISU faculty/students

We also had a great time attending traditional homecoming activities.

ISU Football game

ISU football game

Perhaps the challenge is to expand the more common connections (e.g., following the athletic teams) to connections with the academic mission of the institutions. Maybe such connections should be two-way – how can the academic mission tap into the diverse “real world” experiences of graduates and how can graduates continue to benefit from the academic mission of our institutions?

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