Imagineering

**Imagineering -** derived by combining the words imagination and engineering. Contrary to popular belief, Walt Disney Studios did not create the term, nor the process. Alcoa first used the term around 1940 to describe their work. "IMAGINEERING is the word... Imagineering is letting your imagination soar, and then engineering it down to earth." In the February 16, 1942 issue, //**Time Magazine**// ran an ad for Alcoa that related the origin of the term. However, Walt Disney Studios adopted the concept and the terminology of Imagineering and created an entire division of Imagineers to drive their creative work.


 * Imagineering** is a concept that blends creativity and innovative technological advancements. Many organizations have adapted this process to assist in creating strategic plans as well as forward-looking operational structures. This seems to be an appropriate way to describe that portion of technology planning and implementation that provides stakeholders the opportunity to envision "what could be", or more specifically, "what would I like my students, parents, teachers and administrators to be able to accomplish in their classrooms and schools that is not possible now". You might also be interested in reading the Wikipedia entry on this concept. Dictionary.com gives "the implementing of creative ideas into practical form" as a definition.


 * Group Task:** use The Three-Question Technology Plan handout as the framework for your table discussion. Generally the table facilitator and recorder do not participate in generating responses to the questions, but for this informal use of the technique, each table can choose their own level of participation. Since our time is limited today, please try to complete your discussion on at least one of the three questions:
 * 1) **What works well in your current classroom or office environment?**
 * 2) **In terms of existing technology uses, which areas could be improved?**
 * 3) **What would you like your students, parents, teachers and administrators to accomplish in their classrooms, schools and homes that is not possible now?**

Use your own word processor or **EtherPad** to capture your imagineeering list - try to use common phrases to describe similar responses and be sure to include any duplications as one of the outcomes of this exercise is to provide relative importance to the items submitted. When you have completed your list(s) of responses, use **Wordle** to create a word cloud of your imagineering activity. It's a great way to visualize the priorities of your discussion.


 * Post the public URL of your Wordle word cloud as a response to the appropriate post in the discussion tab**.

For example, here is a Plano ISD Etherpad of "What is working well?" along with the accompanying Wordle word cloud. The original collection of thoughts from the focus groups needed to be distilled to help draw out the common terms and themes.


 * Resources mentioned during this session:**
 * The complete Web 2.0 Directory
 * Portable Software .::. For PCs and USB drives .::. For Macs and USB drives
 * Plano ISD personal wireless devices guidelines
 * Arapahoe High School personally owned device (POD) guidelines
 * Online curriculum resources .::. Curriki .::. CK-12 FlexBooks
 * Plano ISD 2007-10 Technology Plan

A video look at Walt Disney's Imagineering department:

media type="youtube" key="MAE_OgMrkaQ" height="385" width="640"