World of Learning Institute

Dr. Pat Mulroy, Appalachia IU8 May 30, 2017 Have you ever wondered how we learned to fly airplanes or cure diseases? Have you watched movies about people who figured out how to break codes and create computers? Amazing! The ideas of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have changed the way we live, work and communicate. Who dreamt of the internet? Cars? Refrigeration? So many of the miracles of modern medicine? Have you ever wondered why we can’t solve some problems - or haven’t yet? Who will be the trailblazers' the future? How will we support them? So many people told inventors and dreamers that their task was impossible! I was that teacher once. I hope only once! The learner came back to me later in the year - proud to prove me wrong. I am thankful my words did not make that learner give up. Who believes that we will stand still? That cars won’t fly or the problems of world hunger can’t be solved? I hope not Educators. Or Parents or Politicians or Business Leaders! Last yea

If you are anything like most of us, when you check your inbox each morning you are faced with a variety of notifications. Today was no different for me, and I spent the early morning perusing publications that give inspiration and advice on tuning into learning that empowers learners, their teachers and administrators. Sometimes it is so overwhelming that I just close the tabs and set myself into the task I have at hand. Today though, I was drawn in by the article Moonshots in Education - Tom Vander Ark lists the things he thinks will have a big impact on how we all learn. Moonshots are super ambitious undertakings, big ideas, beyond most people's imagination. As I read about his “Moonshots” I realized that is what we are doing - as a team here at IU8. The idea is not unattainable. Yet, there is no we we can try to go it alone! I was particularly reminded of the collaboration of IU8 districts as we have implemented the Valley Network, Open Campus, the MCL Consortium and th