Fun To Be Me

My newest boy, sixth month-old Lorenzo, has a shirt that says “Fun To Be Me.” I’m feeling that way lately.

This week I was named the USU College of Education and Human Services Researcher of the Year for 2008. It was a huge compliment from my peers here at USU and automatically makes me a finalist for the USU Robins Award, one of the university’s most prestigious (and tradition-rich) annual awards.

However, even more fun is my new role at the Center for Open and Sustainable Learning. I’ve been Founder and Director at COSL (pronounced “causal”, with a short “o”) ever since it’s official launch in September 2005. But recently I’ve had a pining to do less administrating and more work – more writing code, more writing papers, more getting closer to the people we try to serve. So, effective this week, I have changed roles to “Evangelist and Idea Guy” at COSL. The change in role will let me focus more on accomplishing the great work we have set out before us, and allow me to continue to contribute to the Center in the ways I’m best suited to.

I’m just as happy to say that Dr. Brett Shelton, my office neighbor in Instructional Technology, is taking over the Directorship at COSL. For those of you who haven’t met him, Brett is an extremely gifted and talented instructional technologist (or learning scientist, Brett? LOL) with a great career underway in the area of open gaming. You can see some of his work featured on the IMRC website (look for the HEAT project), and get a flavor for the real Brett over at Rhymes With Purple (though he hasn’t posted in a while).

What a great Friday it is! I hope things are going as well for you as they are for me. Happy weekend!