A Reasonable Challenge

Back in 2014, I did a 30-day blog challenge with Enoch Hale that was pretty intense…but barrels of fun!  Five days a week for 6 weeks, Enoch and I posted around the prompt:

“I want to pose an open challenge: Post an out-of-the-box question about teaching and learning each day for 30 days.”

While fun, it also burned us out a bit.  In 2015, we blogged a few times around Steve Wheeler’s “blimage” challenge, such as my post on a Dam Blimage Challenge.  But challenges can be work…and having just completed teaching four graduate courses this past fall, I have work enough.  As my granddaughter pointed out, I need to work on my definition of retired!

So when I first saw that Edublogger was suggesting a 28 day January blogging challenge, I was skeptical.  But this one looks reasonable.

28 day blog challenge

It suggests publishing one blog post a week, commenting on other blogs a couple of times a week, and cleaning up your own blog the other days.  This is a schedule I can keep!

So I am in.

Good timing…as it has been awhile since I last posted.   Between August and December, I taught two graduate courses for Creighton (ILD 821: Quality and Accountability and ILD 804: Organizational Behavior), one graduate course for Northeastern (EDU6333: Social Media), and one certificate course for Merrimack (ED6306: Technology, Communication and School Improvement).  Within these courses, we explored disruptions – for example:

These are just examples…but four courses of graduate students pulled me in multiple (and exciting directions).  So I have fodder for the this month’s challenge.

Two events are worth singling out…one fun and one sad.

A few months back, I joined Harold Jarche’s Coffee Club.  I have followed Harold’s blog for years (a good example is his recent post)…and he continues to push my thinking.  The Coffee Club meets by video conference roughly once a month and some percentage of the 50+ members share coffee and ideas (it is a global group and it is always morning somewhere!).  As a member of this club, we have a private blog, and it has been refreshing to hear how professionals in this gig economy are coping…and thriving!

On a sadder note, my doctoral advisor, Al Seagren, passed away at the end of February.  Al was a brilliant educator…but also a mentor and good friend.  During our 5 years in Nebraska, Al and his wife Sharon were surrogate grandparents for my kids!  We stayed in touch over the years, and Al also had difficulty with the concept of retirement.  A few years ago, he helped Creighton University plan its Interdisciplinary Doctorate in Leadership, and a call from Al led to my developing first one, and later two courses for this program.  After 6 years of involvement, I am now chairing dissertations within this program…and I always take my lead from the example Al set for my research.

Al might roll over in his grave…but for me, he was one of the first digital disruptors. Those entering the gig economy these days could look to his example of reflecting daily on what worked in making students successful, as well as what could we do tomorrow to make it even better.

So, that is my first post for the challenge….but I am planning ahead to next week where I will look at the past few months of intensive teaching and a conference presentation, continuing to reflect on 2018 and looking ahead to 2019.

Who is up for the challenge?

{Graphic: Edublogger, Jarche, Seagren}

4 thoughts on “A Reasonable Challenge

  1. I’m excited to join in this blogging challenge with you. I’ve already learned a lot through this challenge. Your post is very visually pleasing and full of information.

  2. Hi Britt

    Laughing at “As my granddaughter pointed out, I need to work on my definition of retired!” Maybe the answer is this is your definition of retiring? If it gives you pleasure, fulfillment and you enjoy – why not?

    Looking forward to the 28 Day Challenge!

    Sue
    @suewaters

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