Website focuses on transforming education in Iowa

I want to use this blog in a different way than in the past. Instead of dropping in notes here and there, or simply putting my Sunday newspaper column in this spot, I want to share information about news and information in Eastern Iowa and how The Gazette is attempting to cover it.

I'll still offer general thoughts from time to time about issues with which we are dealing, and will throw the column in here at times as well. But my hope is to have more regular posts.

With that said, one of the more innovative things SourceMedia Group, which owns The Gazette, is attempting is forming dense networks of people who can share ideas on important matters in a transparent way that keeps the public informed. The effort is called TransformED. I want to share some related links.

One public event already has been held in the effort. It was an Ignite Education networking and information sharing session the night of June 22 at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

The forum brought together about a dozen Eastern Iowa educators who are passionate about innovative teaching. They gave quick presentations, which you can see at this link.

The goal of sessions such as these is not a news story. Rather, it is the network, and what can come from that network. This can play out in various ways. The night of June 22 it meant convening educators who could provide critical information on the public's behalf. Information from events like these, our reporting and that from contributors can be viewed in real time at a website called IowaTransformED.com. Because this is 2011 there is, of course, a Facebook page, too.

We'd like to see TransformED encourage the transformation of education in, at least for now, Eastern Iowa and eventually, the hope goes, statewide or even farther. This is an experiment that we've called internally a sandbox project, where you can play with ideas and create something new.

SourceMedia company President Chuck Peters has articulated this effort and is committed deeply to it. It is part of the transformation of the media industry he has shared publicly.

The Gazette's content editing manager Annette Schulte and reporter Patrick Hogan were selected to build TransformED and worked with various other SourceMedia Group employees to get it launched. They, and others devoted to this idea, have met with various education officials and have visited area schools. Annette is easing back into spending more time with her editing duties, which put her in charge of the daily development of The Gazette news report, but she will keep some kind of hand in the project.

Check out the TransformED website and see what you think.