Fortune Magazine recently released their list of the 20 best and worst decisions in business history. It’s a very interesting read, and the article mixes brilliant business decisions with some really foolish mistakes.
The list coincides well with Apple’s recent decision to move to Intel chips in future hardware. I am starting to feel a bit more positive about Apple’s decision (not sure why), but unfortunately, I don’t yet have the gift of hindsight. Who knows how the decision will reported in the press ten years from now.
It would be interesting to put together a list of best and worst decisions/implementations/ideas in the history of educational technology or related to the integration of educational technology in schools. I think there have been a number of stumbles along the way, but also many triumphs. Generally, I think it’s still getting better … but always, a moving target. Wanna start a list?
Update: Reading OLDaily today, I noticed James Farmer’s post “Open Source in Education – Something Has Got to Change“, and of course, anyone that knows me, knows that this area is my passion. I especially appreciate the passage, “I *despise* the way education is turning into a cash cow for vendors. We should be spending what little money we have on teachers, genuinely valuable resources and teaching and learning”. Allright, so now I have #1 on my list.
#1: Wasting money on commercial applications (as opposed to good open source applications) where such money could be put into acquiring and supporting valuable human resources (i.e., teachers).