Teaching by Twitter in Missouri: Why Lobbying for It Makes Sense?

By Travis H. Brown, MBA

It has been no secret that I have lobbied to make online public schools as useful, effective, and transparent as any other classroom in Missouri. It likewise may come as no surprise that I am an avid user of twitter to provide government transparency (having completed my 3,000 tweet recently).

As technology expands into communication and business, it is encouraging to see that some public school teachers are looking at ways to integrate it into classroom experiences in a positive way. It seems inevitable that digital natives would expect and thrive off curriculum approaches fluent in their digital devices and media.

EdWeek Magazine examines several classrooms that are using Twitter in particular to supplement their curricula.

American History teacher Lucas Ames has his students tweeting articles about Constitutional issues, old and new. @coolcatteacher shares resources between colleagues to get and give feedback about technology in the classroom. Yet another teacher in Houston is hoping Twitter will help her bilingual class to learn about other cultures and customs by partnering with other classrooms around the country.

Some critics wonder if it’s really appropriate to use social networking in the classroom. And it’s not just the stigma that video games and social networks are toys and typically distract from learning, but also because there is little to no data about these tools helping or hurting achievement. Daniel Willingham, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia-Charlottesville notes the lack of research, but goes on to say:

“Like any other tool, the way we make it useful is to consider very carefully what this particular tool is very good at, rather than simply say, ‘I like Twitter, so how can I use it?’ ”

So what is useful about Twitter in this context?

It can improve the speed by which we get information. Homework help, project collaboration are possible ways for students to integrate technology into time-management.

Downside: easing a manner to cheat, or providing shortcuts to research

It can present information in a more useful or appropriate format.
Peer reviews or ongoing class discussions where students can integrate, say, news stories into their feed to support their point could be useful in teaching analysis, debate, and how to use resources.

Downside: disadvantage for kids who may not have Internet access at home.

It can connect you with experts. You can follow @NASA, search for Ayn Rand, follow elected officials, journalists and researchers.

Downside: It can also connect you with spammers and people with bad information.

Crowd-sourcing the best ideas. For teachers, Twitter is beginning to be a way to share ideas, lesson plans and class notes. For students, it could be asking a question or asking for opinions and learning how sharing ideas produces better results and sparks creativity.

Students can also be challenged to develop their own uses and applications for Twitter. One of the most interesting uses of Twitter I came across was an elementary teacher that used Twitter to teach students about probability and geographic climates, so the network actually served to illustrate a lesson, or put a human face on an abstract thought.

Twitter is merely one example among thousands that have the potential to enhance a lesson, show the possible practical uses of a “social” network, and get students used to integrating technology into their work. One objective of administrators and teachers could be to create methods to learn about technology and reap the benefits while avoiding some of the pitfalls.

One leader in the national conversation about technology in education will be Karen Cator, a former executive at Apple, as she joins the U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology.

“We need to craft an entirely new research agenda around this issue so people can’t write that technology doesn’t work,” said Cator to Edweek. “We know it works…but we need to get good at saying and articulating what exactly technology can do.”

If Americans seek to improve the competitiveness of our next generation, then it is vital to embrace this challenge to define better experiences.

Otherwise, I am sure that tweet feeds like this one will regulate our future.

Photo by Kevin Zollman under a Creative Commons license.

Lobbying for Life Flights: Access to Care by Air

by Travis H. Brown, Contract Lobbyist

This week, a Washington Post article about the risks that air medical emergency response teams face reminded me how often state & federal healthcare lobbyists forget the vital role that pilots with paramedics play.  The focus of that story had to do with the family lives lost to tragedy and inclement weather in duty – something that all private pilots know deserves more attention for the work that they do.

Maybe it’s just my love for general aviation that captures me to the beat of their rotors.   Maybe it’s my decade of experience lobbying for healthcare matters.  Every time that I see a BJC helicopter coming in or leaving out from Barnes-Jewish Hospital, I think about the times that I have known someone on that flight, or someone who needs it the most at that very moment.  Recently, it was my father-in-law being air-lifted to University Hospital, when an extensive crew did everything that they could to ease his pain.  Decades ago, I recall being near a fatal car accident in Perry County when it only took 15 minutes for an air evac ambulance to arrive from St. Louis, MO.  Even in rural mid-Missouri near Jefferson City or Columbia, I often see life flights to transport vital organs, blood supplies, and unique services across our river’s edge throughout the night.

I strongly recommend every child having a chance to see a helicopter team like this in a non-urgent situation.  In 1999, in Springfield, MO, I toured a hospital during the State Chamber of Commerce Leadership Missouri grassroots issue tours around each region.  Sometimes, healthcare facilities offer open houses where such tours are offered on site.  In order to understand how and why costs can be so high, it takes some first-hand knowledge of what this kind of operation crew requires to function.

As a border to many states, Missouri’s export of healthcare services is often extended by air in this fashion.  Many citizens may not take time to realize that access to care from top notch physicians – including anesthesiologists, cardiac surgeons, neuro surgeons, and trauma physicians – depends upon air lifts to urban core areas.

So, as we reconsider how our state laws, regulations, and practices related to adverse events might be improved in the next year’s legislative session, we should remind each other of the techniques like this that make our access to care uniquely-possible between our urgent care, surgery centers, & major hospital networks.  When we limit our reimbursements for how doctors can see patients, someone on the other end of that 911 call may not get the urgent help that they deserve.

A Brave New Education for St. Louis Public Schools and Judge Jimmie Edwards

By Travis H. Brown and Rachel Keller Brown

Today marks the first day of public school in the newly-inspired Innovation Concept Academy.  The St. Louis community, and America-at-large, owes a lot to the courage of one man – Judge Jimmie Edwards.  In less than six months, he has embarked on what others might say would be nearly impossible:  1) to assume ownership of a new community school that exists outside the lines of a public school, 2) to unite a diverse coalition of public and private interests together to enrich the learning environment, and 3) to lobby for real, no excuse community change for youth who need it the most.

From a political perspective, the Innovation Concept Academy hits on all five of the recommended steps on which now Governor Jay Nixon campaigned last year.  His five points were:  to invest in public school options using public-private partnerships, to recruit talented teachers to challenged districts, to reduce class size, to re-establish local community support, and to make sure that alternative schools are available and effective.  The Academy seeks to challenge all of the obstacles facing those children who often get lost in the public school system without effective mentors, dedicated instructors, and guardian engagement.

This Tuesday, we accompanied Rex Sinquefield with Judge Jimmie Edwards on a walk-through of the Blewett school facility.  We are excited to report that the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis will be partnering with the Academy to build a dedicated room to teach chess with its curriculum.  It is our hope that students can improve their math, science, reading, and critical thinking skills using a life sport like chess in a variety of environments (for classroom instruction, after-school partnerships, supplemental learning, and as a means to connect to our greater community).  If successful, such a model might provide a road map for urban progressives, mayors, governors, and civic patrons to do the same around the country.

In the coming months,  Room 103 will transform itself with the opening fall classes into a dynamic place to learn the game of chess.  Public school teachers, including educators as part of the AFT Local 420 Teacher’s Union have agreed to fill the classroom with ambitious goals of instruction (and smaller class size).  The Metropolitan Police Department of the City of St. Louis are moving in a sub-station to assist the facility with mentoring and community needs.  The community arms have even opened to accept other instructors from a wide variety of parish school environments. The manner by which so many organizations, from MERS Goodwill to local celebrities, have come together, can help pave the future of new school design.

Good luck Judge Edwards and Innovation Concept Academy.  Our children, our entire community, and our nation of neighborhoods, needs your model to succeed.

Private Pilots: Lobbying for A Better General Aviation Brand

By Travis Brown, Pilot & Lobbyist

Alan Klapmeier, former CEO of Cirrus Designs, may be right:  perhaps promoting general aviation, or what he calls Flying 2.0, is truly missionary work.  With everything at stake inside the next FAA reauthorization bill in Congress, now is the time for every AOPA pilot to tell their story to the public.

Fortunately, private pilots are not doing it alone.  Thanks to the AOPA campaign “General Aviation Serves America,” famous pilots and celebrities like Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman are providing us a stabilized approach towards effective issue advocacy.  Just in case you haven’t seen either of these short ads, both are included here.

It Starts with Your Personal Story:

For several years now, I have enjoyed the privileges of my private pilot certificate as a direct part of my frequent travel, across Missouri and all over this great nation.  Staying sharp as a pilot is an awesome personal freedom given to Americans, as well as an incredible responsibility.

As an entrepreneur, state lobbyist, and owner-operator of my own plane, nothing comes close to being able to respond quickly to issues and opportunities like utilizing general aviation.  In the Show-ME State, this means taking off and landing in a wide variety of situations:  accessing our rural communities, supporting small businesses for fueling & maintenance, and becoming frequent retail customers inside mid-size terminals.

Missouri is fortunate to have many state & federal elected officials who also understand this benefit through their own professional travels.  Virtually every statewide campaign at one point or another relies on their own private plane, a charter service, or assistance from an ally to get from place to place.  Most clients come to appreciate what faster response times and greater productivity can mean to their cause, campaigns, or issues once they understand how general aviation is typically-used.

The Big Picture Today:  FAA Re-Authorization Bill in Congress

Last week, the U.S. Senate took a great step forward with the FAA Reauthorization vote.  In the weeks ahead, the Senate must vote it off their floor, and take it to Conference Committee: the small, poorly-lit kitchen that usually has lots of sharp legislatives knives that most often determine a bill’s final fate. 

Inside this debate rests the future of NextGen, what type of guidance systems North America can expect to keep all users – public and private, as safe and accurate as possible.  General aviation pilots must remain a strong, unified voice in the ears of their Members of Congress now to ensure that a) NextGen systems remain a priority, b) our elected officials receive first-hand opinions and insights from real users, and c) conversations about user fees are balanced within the context of what every owner-operator pays for now through fuel tax consumption.

As a state-based lobbyist with sixteen years of experience with the legislative process, I know how easy your local grassroots voices can be displaced unless you are organized.  Despite the tendencies to drift to important corporate matters, or to resolve union debates, our Members of Congress do really want to hear from everyday constituents.  When you speak up with your call, your donation, or your blog, today’s technology affords you a “glass panel cockpit” of options to reach them. 

 

Here are Five Suggested Ways for You to Engage:

1) Tweet your Member of Congress:  Missouri’s U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, who sometimes flies in a Pilatus PC-12, stays in touch with nearly 30,000 followers by @clairecmc.  Social media or networks are mainstream channels for how busy executives share their thinking, and effective staff want to make sure you can connect.  I tend to prefer using my twitter account  since it offers up exponential growth to 23M users, and its speed of use is transforming micro-blogging as a whole.

2) Call, write, or arrange a meeting:  Missouri Congressman Sam Graves is a private pilot himself.  Offices like his have a process in place, either in Washington, DC, or back at home in Tarkio, MO, to schedule a personal meeting.  Don’t be discouraged if it takes several attempts to find the right procedure that enables your contact.  The pace and rhythm that most legislator calendars keep is pretty ambitious and often at odds with itself.

3) Get your local airports engaged in grassroots: The vast majority of Missouri public officials often travel in and out of our state capitol airport, courtesy of charter services like Jefferson City Flying Service. You might be surprised to learn how educating travelers each day with AOPA Online legislative updates, information sessions, and calls to action can make a difference.  Letting local celebrities know that you know what is going on can be extremely helpful.

4) Remind your local charities to weigh in their useful load:  Your freedom to operate without harmful user fees won’t simply limit your small business.  When private pilots cut their hours flown, volunteer flights for important charities usually suffer as well.  Two local examples of volunteer organizations committed to transporting children in need is Angel Flight Central, in Kansas City, MO (KMKC), or Wings of Hope, based from Chesterfield, MO (KSUS).  Find out if they are weighing in with calls to action.  If you’re a pilot waiting for return your passengers home via one of these great causes, then finding three minutes to call your Congressman on their behalf seems like a worthy use of ramp time.

5) Keep fun in general aviation.  Invite others to become a part of the solution.  Of course, this means inviting friends who know to become a pilot or to join you at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.  Why not bring home some extra literature to educate your Member of Congress in the process?  Maybe some pictures about the future of very light jets, modern avionics, or ice protection systems?  However, it’s also about doing what you can outside the hanger, and off the runway.  Our local science centers can be a teaching resource, where flight academies inspire first graders to master flight simulators.  Our local history, like Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, needs to be retold to the next generation. 

If America’s private pilots can improve upon these outreach efforts, the future of our general aviation will improve out of this tough economy with more innovation, better ideas, and a strong infrastructure.  However, just like real flight, final authority and command for our grassroots journey rests with us.

Why Every Network Must Be Major League in the Future:

By Rachel Keller Brown and Travis H. Brown

Recent dealings with sports celebrities and major league greats like Cardinals legend Bob Gibson can remind us the important role that we all can play in our own social networks.  Long after his 1981 Hall of Fame induction, a St. Louis Cardinal like Bob Gibson can remain an important civic figure off the field: as a coach, mentor, role model, and inspiration. 

In the context of baseball, these titans of roundball help us place value on the sport’s accomplishment, talent, and tenacity.  Off the mound, the role of celebrity can be leveraged in many ways:  raising money for charity, giving voice to important causes, volunteering your time for awareness, and building unique relationships across many walks of life.

Celebrity brands offer punch and potency inside a sea of public noise and media clutter.  So, as consumers take control of their own media channels one iphone or blackberry at a time, it’s not a surprise that those that lobby from a known industry reputation will fare much better than those who remain in cyber-silence.

This week’s Wall Street Journal story shows us more about how consumer movements may occur.  Major League Baseball is bringing live baseball as an iphone application.  First, you merge the influence and flexibility of the mobile device platform that has great picture and video capability.  Second, you target a demographic market and loyal fan audience that buys direct from their ultimate network:  their entire league (already at 400,000 subscribers at MLB.TV).  Third, once you prove that live streaming is more valuable than local television broadcast, it’s game time for all venues, not just out-of-market events. 

One can only imagine how exciting it may be in the future when individual URLs load up a creative celebrity encounter, clock their own radar during the next fast-pitch, or videocast to their grandmother the latest score.  New technologies like these don’t have to be feared by personalities of interest.  We believe that, with integrated marketing and media strategies, access to these tools may make your star power even more entertaining. 

Imagine the potential value of real-time brand metrics via mobile devices when President Obama unveiled his White Sox uniform before the Cardinals All-Star crowd.  In the not-so-distant future, the President may want to text you back a personal message in the grand stands, like, “It could be worse.  It could have been a Chicago Cubs jersey.”  Real-time responses related to your market reactions might be used to fellow Cubs fans to find others in the stadium, and for local vendors to peddle Chicago-styled merchandise.

If you question the value of your network’s ability to respond, engage, & expand under these new consumer rules, maybe it’s time to upgrade your tools to become Major League.

Why Missouri Lobbyists Appreciate David McCullough

By Travis Brown, Missouri Lobbyist

This month, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient David McCullough celebrated his 76th birthday in America.  Over the years, his distinguished career as author, journalist, & historian has enriched our personal libraries.

David McCullough might agree that sometimes you don’t choose the big issues; the big issues choose you.  He never set out to write about history, but rather started as a trainee for the emerging Sports Illustrated magazine.  Twelve years of editing and traveling finally convinced him that he could start writing on his own, after what Malcolm Gladwell would say were his 10,000 hours of necessary expertise.

Politicians, statesmen, political operatives, and lobbyists of all persuasions can easily find meaning in his work: through his meticulous details, his knack for storytelling, and his depth of analytical research.  For anyone seeking to understand the birth of our country, reading John Adams can add clarity to our forefather’s quote about applying yourself in your pursuits:

“Gentlemen, I feel a great difficulty how to act.  I am Vice President.  In this I am nothing, but I may be everything.” – John Adams, Chapter Eight.

In legislative affairs and state politics, timing is everything.  To many, reading non-fiction may not seem as engaging as book-gone-movie today (no disrespect to Harry Potter fans).  David’s books capture the attitudes to recreate the past in a way that most of us will only see in the future of a twitter-archived society.  Anchored conversations between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in this book show us rare insights into the decisions made for our democracy, in a manner like reading a busy networker’s Facebook updates (except without the tweetpics or meetup announcements).

Missouri lobbyists and political pundits like me appreciate even more his epic Show-Me State work:  Truman.  As Steve Weinberg of the Kansas City Star points out, “this biography will stand out as the biography for which all other presidential biographies will be measured.”  As you turn his first page, you see the quote by Harry S. Truman:

“We can never tell what is in store for us.”

In my office, I have an old newspaper the day that our Missouri farmboy became President.  For anyone that has never visited his Presidential Library, I highly recommend swinging by off Interstate 70 in Independence, MO.  The story of Truman gives Missourians a sense of the good fortune, political struggles, moral decisions, and character under the heavy weights of power that Harry must have endured.

This work reminds us that our challenges and burdens are not unique to today’s political poll-frenzied environment.  This biography is a great resource when the only friend you may have in Washington, DC might be your dog.  Thanks to you David McCullough, and happy birthday.  We, the modern day legislative gladiators of future American history, salute you.