The Cruise Ship vs. Speedboat

 
Change. Shift. Gigantic movements. 

They all happen. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. But change does happen. Some people embrace it, some people resist it. But change does happen. 

As the head of a technology department, we are living in some fantastic times. Technological change happens exponentially these days. The things we thought wouldn't be here 10 years ago are not only here, but they are better than we anticipated. 

For instance, take tablets and iPads. 10 years ago, these weren't around for consumers to try or buy. They were just a pipe dream for most. Today, we have iPads all over the globe in the hands of our very young and our very old. iPads have reached people because of fast and vast technologiical changes. 

Today, Google is promoting its Google Glass product. If you haven't Googled Google Glass yet, please do. Their videos on this product look like something out of a movie or this world but its not. It's real. It's here. 

If Google Glass is around today, what will the next 10 years bring us? For someone who is the head of a technology department, it's a great time to be in. 

While keeping that in mind, I also must realize that I am the head of a technology department within a school district. Now, there is nothing wrong with the district I am in. In fact, I believe that this district (to which I have been in for over 6 years), is one of the best in NJ and the USA. 

Of course, there is an inherent problem. Technology changes happen fast. Educational changes happen slow. 

I like to give the metaphor of the speed boat vs. the cruise ship. We in the technology departments, along with a few other key people, are hanging out in the speed boat. Everyone else, and that means the  teachers, students, parents, and staff, are all in the cruise ship, which is being pulled by the speed boat. When the speed boat makes a quick change, the cruise liner will also turn, but at a much slower and steadier pace. We in the speed boat at times love to make quick changes. We see something that we believe can be beneficial to the people on the cruise liner and we dart in that direction. The people on the cruise liner see the changes coming and some jump to the front of the ship to be the first to get there while others dart and linger around the back of the boat, still more engaged in the view of the ocean rather than the turns up ahead. 

Educational changes happen slowly. (Or, they tend to repeat themselves over the years). Technology changes happen quickly. (And will only get quicker).

Question:

How do we slow the speed boat down? How do we help the cruise liner turn quicker? 

I am figuring out the answers to these questions as we go along. I don't think anyone has a magic answer to this.  All I know is that if you are on the boat and haven't flung yourself overboard, that's a good thing; but even if you have, I'll be there to come around to get you out of the water and to safety.