Brad Feld

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Shift Happens

Oct 30, 2006
Category Random

Education in Colorado is a well known “issue” for anyone that lives here.  While our current (and soon to be previous) political leadership (e.g. the governor’s office) hasn’t done much, a number of incredibly hard working and dedicated people – such as my good friend Jared Polis – have thrown themselves deeply into the challenge of trying to improve the education system in Colorado.

Lisa Reeves of SAP – who happens to live in Boulder – send me two great things last week.  The first is a remarkable blog called The Fischbowl which is spearheaded by Karl Fisch – the Director of Technology at Arapahoe High School.  It’s an awesome example of how blogging can be used to in a high school.  In addition to Karl’s blog, Lisa send me a superb presentation that everyone should click through and ponder.  My favorite slide segment is “Name this Country:

  • Richest in the World
  • Largest Military
  • Center of world business and finance
  • Strongest education system
  • World center of innovation and invention
  • Currency the world standard of value
  • Highest standard of living

The answer is – England – in 1900.  Sound familiar all you American’s out there?  The presentation ends delightfully with “shift happens” which – of course – is where we started.