Techies are
from Mars…
(Teachies are
from Venus)
NEA PR Council - 2005
www.jasonohler.com
www.jasonohler.com
2 themes:
1) Teachies from Venus,
techies from Mars, but we
all gotta’ talk…
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2 themes:
1) Teachies from Venus,
techies from Mars, but we
all gotta’ talk…
2) Ed tech leader’s
lot in life: to have
a lot to do in life…
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Education equation
Learning
Goals
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Learning
Facilitation
Effective
Learning/or
not?
Education equation- v 2.0
Learning
Goals
Learning
Facilitation
Technology
Inclusion
YOU
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Effective
Learning/or
not?
We gotta talk...
www.jasonohler.com
An ed tech director’s lot...
To stand inbetween the
teachies and
techies and
translate,
mediate,
facilitate…
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Communication Revolution
What’s the #1 communication
problem in high tech/networked
schools & organizations?
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Communication Revolution
What’s the #1 communication
problem in high tech/networked
schools & organizations?
People communicating
with people
…a problem tech amplifies...
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Communication Revolution
Experiment -
Who were you talking
to?
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Communication Revolution
Experiment -
Who were you talking
to?
When you read email
you are reading
yourself!
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Communication Revolution
It’s not just for machines anymore ..
• Techies are from Mars...
• Teachies are from Venus…
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Communication Revolution
It’s not just for machines anymore ..
• Techies are from Mars...
• Teachies are from Venus…
• Communication probs? You bet!
• (without the romantic makeup
dinner)
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What did you say?
Subtextometer: Same conversation, different levels...
Teachie:
www.jasonohler.com
I need more file space...
What did you say?
Subtextometer: Same conversation, different levels...
Teachie:
Techie:
www.jasonohler.com
I need more file space...
I don’t have file space to
give you...
What did you say?
Subtextometer: Same conversation, different levels...
Teachie:
Techie:
Teachie:
Techie:
www.jasonohler.com
I need more file space...
I don’t have file space to
give you...
You don’t feel my pain…
Where’s my
pizza?
What did you say?
Same thing, different languages...
www.jasonohler.com
What did you say?
Same thing, different languages...
Teachie:
www.jasonohler.com
Friends, Romans,
countrymen, lend me
your ears!
What did you say?
Same thing, different languages...
Teachie:
Friends, Romans,
countrymen, lend me
your ears!
Techie:
Non-hostile users,
Italian-urban
networkers, USAdomain-based ID
holders, lend me your
carbon-based aural
input devices!
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What did you say?
Same thing, different perspectives...
Teachie:
www.jasonohler.com
Halp! Halp! The
network’s down!
What did you say?
Same thing, different perspectives...
Teachie:
Halp! Halp! The
network’s down!
Techie:
Spell checker
probably doesn’t
recognize
his last name...
www.jasonohler.com
What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
www.jasonohler.com
What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
www.jasonohler.com
Can we put the entire
band on the bus?
What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
Can we put the entire
band on the bus?
Techie:
Depends on your
bandwidth...
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What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
www.jasonohler.com
Go ditch it all!
What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
Go ditch it all!
Techie:
Exactly! Go digital!!
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What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
Go ditch it all!
Techie:
Exactly! Go digital!!
Teachie:
Finally we agree on
something!!
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What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
Go ditch it all!
Techie:
Exactly! Go digital!!
Teachie:
Finally we agree on
something!!
Assumicide:
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What did you say?
Same sounds, different words...
Teachie:
Go ditch it all!
Techie:
Exactly! Go digital!!
Teachie:
Finally we agree on
something!!
Assumicide: people assume
they’re communicating
when they’re not
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Communication Revolution
Anthropology 101 in a sentence:
All communication is tribal, and
everyone’s insecure… the rest
are details…
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Communication Revolution
Bad communication:
• Can paralyze an organization…
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Communication Revolution
Bad communication:
• Can paralyze an organization…
In absence of good communication:
• Conspiracy theories abound…
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Communication Revolution
Bad communication:
• Can paralyze an organization…
In absence of good communication:
• Conspiracy theories abound…
Good communication makes members:
• Valued, invested, happier
better problem solvers
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Communication Revolution
Mars/Venus is a cross cultural
situation -- go for the win-win...
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Communication Revolution
Mars/Venus is a cross cultural
situation -- go for the win-win...
• Don’t change each other,
understand each other as different
www.jasonohler.com
Communication Revolution
Mars/Venus is a cross cultural
situation -- go for the win-win...
• Don’t change each other,
understand each other as different
• Techies are happiest when they
solve the teachies’ problems
www.jasonohler.com
Communication Revolution
Mars/Venus is a cross cultural
situation -- go for the win-win...
• Don’t change each other,
understand each other as different
• Techies are happiest when they
solve the teachies’ problems
• Techies want appreciation
www.jasonohler.com
Communication Revolution
Mars/Venus is a cross cultural
situation -- go for the win-win...
• Don’t change each other,
understand each other as different
• Techies are happiest when they
solve the teachies’ problems
• Techies want appreciation
• Teachies want empathy
www.jasonohler.com
Communication Revolution
Mars/Venus is a cross cultural
situation -- go for the win-win...
• Don’t change each other,
understand each other as different
• Techies are happiest when they
solve the teachies’ problems
• Techies want appreciation
• Teachies want empathy
• “Help me grieve, and fix my printer!”
www.jasonohler.com
We gotta talk...
www.jasonohler.com
An ed tech director’s lot...
To wear many
hats as you
manage rapid
change…
“So, Jim, where do you
see yourself in ten
minutes?”
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Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
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Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Leader/policy maker by default, not
design…
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Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Leader/policy maker by default, not
design…
• Government/God/Parents - ignored
during good times, blamed during
bad…
www.jasonohler.com
Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Leader/policy maker by default, not
design…
• Government/God/Parents - ignored
during good times, blamed during
bad…
• Change counselor:
everyone takes their
step...
www.jasonohler.com
next
Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Therapist...
www.jasonohler.com
Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Therapist...
• Translater
vice versa
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teacheze into techeze,
Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Therapist...
• Translater
vice versa
teacheze into techeze,
• Cultivator of new worker:
soft + hard skills
(a la SCANS Report…)
www.jasonohler.com
Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Cheerleader - What does it take?
• Guts, vision, clarity, purpose,
sensitivity:
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Change management biz...
Balancing many hats as a change manager...
• Cheerleader - What does it take?
• Guts, vision, clarity, purpose,
sensitivity:
GVCPS
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We gotta talk...
www.jasonohler.com
An ed tech director’s lot...
IT people are
currently left out of
ISTE’s standards
movement. It’s your
job to include them.
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
EQ by Goleman
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Soft skills for IT...
EQ by Goleman
SOFT SKILLS ARE:
The ability to manage yourself
and relate to other people.
(Shari Caudron, Monster.com)
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Soft skills for IT...
EQ …another view
SOFT SKILLS:
The attitude is the aptitude.
(Me)
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Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• be customer oriented
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Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• be customer oriented
• see project through user’s eyes
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Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• be customer oriented
• see project through user’s eyes
• respond to customer’s
fears/concerns
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• be customer oriented
• see project through user’s eyes
• respond to customer’s
fears/concerns
• sensitivity to all stakeholders
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• be customer oriented
• see project through user’s eyes
• respond to customer’s
fears/concerns
• sensitivity to all stakeholders
• flexible, adaptable to change
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• be customer oriented
• see project through user’s eyes
• respond to customer’s
fears/concerns
• sensitivity to all stakeholders
• flexible, adaptable to change
• manage resources/set priorities
within context of service agreements
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• communicate with diverse groups
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• communicate with diverse groups
• use clear, concise language
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• communicate with diverse groups
• use clear, concise language
• break down technical language
barriers
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• communicate with diverse groups
• use clear, concise language
• break down technical language
barriers
• speak and write clearly and
succinctly
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Alaska High Tech Council
• communicate with diverse groups
• use clear, concise language
• break down technical language
barriers
• speak and write clearly and
succinctly
• share information, collaborate
with team members
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Certification Magazine
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
teamwork
communication skills
presentation skills
selling
running meetings
problem-solving
customer service
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Human Resources Development Canada
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
self-awareness
analytical thinking
leadership, team-building skills
effective communication, listening
change readiness, diplomacy
problem-solving, flexibility
creativity
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
EQ by Goleman
• 181 jobs at 121 companies
worldwide- 2 of 3 abilities for
success were EQ...
(Shari Caudron, Monster.com)
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
EQ by Goleman
• 181 jobs at 121 companies
worldwide- 2 of 3 abilities for
success were EQ...
• study of many corporations, 3 top
qualities: comm. skills, interpersonal
skills, initiative...
(Shari Caudron, Monster.com)
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
EQ by Goleman
• 181 jobs at 121 companies
worldwide- 2 of 3 abilities for
success were EQ...
• study of many corporations, 3 top
qualities: comm. skills, interpersonal
skills, initiative...
• studies of 500 organizations
worldwide, those with highest EQ
scores rise to highest positions...
(Shari Caudron, Monster.com)
www.jasonohler.com
Soft skills for IT...
Great advice for IT folks:
Walk among the people.
www.jasonohler.com
We gotta talk...
www.jasonohler.com
An ed tech director’s lot...
Manage change on
three levelspersonal, policy,
& organizational.
“Never, ever
think outside the
box.”
www.jasonohler.com
What to do…
Change happens on three levels...
• Personal: change a habit
• Policy: change a standard or rule
(ISTE standards)
• Organizational: change a system
through restructuring
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What to do...
Reacquaint self w difficulty/fear change
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What to do...
Reacquaint self w difficulty/fear change
Personal: change a habit
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What to do...
Reacquaint self w difficulty/fear change
Personal: change a habit
• Know your belief system...rerun
average day to find out who you
are...
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What to do...
Reacquaint self w difficulty/fear change
Personal: change a habit
• Know your belief system...rerun
average day to find out who you
are...
• Change 1 thing about self--ask
spouse...
www.jasonohler.com
What to do...
Reacquaint self w difficulty/fear change
Personal: change a habit
• Know your belief system...rerun
average day to find out who you
are...
• Change 1 thing about self--ask
spouse...
• Personal changes
change
www.jasonohler.com
institutional
What to do...
Change a policy
Policy: change a standard or rule
• How about ISTE
communication standards?
For techies? For teachies?
www.jasonohler.com
What to do...
Change a policy
Policy: change a standard or rule
• How about ISTE
communication standards?
For techies? For teachies?
• How about general ISTE
standards for tech support
staff?
www.jasonohler.com
What to do...
Zoom way out…involve the community...
www.jasonohler.com
What to do...
Zoom way out…involve the community...
Organizational: change a system
• Restructuring decision making,
policy development...
www.jasonohler.com
What to do...
Zoom way out…involve the community...
Organizational: change a system
• Restructuring decision making,
policy development...
• Restructuring/creating jobs...
www.jasonohler.com
What to do...
Zoom way out…involve the community...
Organizational: change a system
• Restructuring decision making,
policy development...
• Restructuring/creating jobs...
• Restructuring buildings,
environments...
www.jasonohler.com
ACTIVITY
You: discuss topic/take notes
We: collect/distribute notes
TOPICS:
•
Develop communication standard
for 1) IT workers, 2) teachies…
•
Develop process to resolve
communication issues between
teachies & techies…
•
Develop assessment strategies...
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BUZZ...
We gotta talk...
www.jasonohler.com
An ed tech director’s lot...
You are in the best
position to implement
change…
www.jasonohler.com
Making ed tech work...
Great advice for ed tech folks:
Be part of the
curriculum team.
www.jasonohler.com
The Tradition Box
Tradition
Cultural
Interface
Border
Fast change thru revolution…
thru leaky border…
www.jasonohler.com
Slow change
The Tradition Box
Tradition
Cultural
Interface
Moderate change thru “cultural insider” who opens
portal between the two
www.jasonohler.com
Is It Worth It?
You can’t fight every fight...
Value of Relationship
LO
Importance
Of
Issue
LO IGNORE
HI
COMPETE
HI
CONCEDE
COLLABORATE
Adapted from "Conflict and Conflict Management" by Kenneth Thomas in The Handbook of Industrial and
Organizational Psychology edited by Marvin Dunnette (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976).
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Clothes
make the
ed tech
coordinator-
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Clothes
make the
ed tech
coordinatorSo
dress
well…
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Traditional storytelling planning
process:
1. Get a story idea
2. Develop storyboard
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Traditional storytelling planning
process:
1. Get a story idea
NO!
2. Develop storyboard
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Traditional storytelling planning
process:
1. Get a story idea
2. Develop VPS
3. THEN develop storyboard
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Visual Portrait of Story (VPS)
Middle
Problem
(tension)
Solution
(resolution)
Beginning
End
The psychology of “story” - of life as a
creative problem solving experience
(Dillingham, 2001)
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Visual Portrait of Story + transformation
Middle
Problem
(tension)
Beginning
Solution
(resolution)
Transformation?
What kinds of transformation?
(Dillingham, Ohler 2003)
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End
Transformation
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8 Levels of character transformation…
1. Physical/kinesthetic - strength,
dexterity
2. Inner strength - courage
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8 Levels of character transformation…
1. Physical/kinesthetic - strength,
dexterity
2. Inner strength - courage
3. Emotional - maturity
4. Moral - conscience
www.jasonohler.com
8 Levels of character transformation…
1. Physical/kinesthetic - strength,
dexterity
2. Inner strength - courage
3. Emotional - maturity
4. Moral - conscience
5. Psychological - insight, selfawareness
6. Social - responsibility
www.jasonohler.com
8 Levels of character transformation…
1. Physical/kinesthetic - strength,
dexterity
2. Inner strength - courage
3. Emotional - maturity
4. Moral - conscience
5. Psychological - insight, selfawareness
6. Social - responsibility
7. Intellectual/creative - learning,
problem solving, critical thinking
8. Spiritual - awakening
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The story spine by Kenn Adams
The platform:
The catalyst:
The consequences:
The climax:
The resolution:
www.jasonohler.com









Once upon a time…
Every day…
But one day…
Because of that…
Because of that…
Because of that…
Until finally…
Ever since then…
The moral of this
story is…
The
Communication
Revolution
It’s not just for machines anymore...
NEA 2005
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