I write a lot about Illinois and Chicago. That's where I am.

I keep an eye on developments elsewhere... as a lot passes through my in box. I've been following ICT coordination efforts in California and Ohio for some time as Illinois has been following suit in organizing statewide ICT interests. Here in Illinois we've begun to think more about Policy and Vision, and whether we are "asking for enough" or "doing enough" ourselves. We've also begun to think a little more regionally, first in terms of the different sectors of the state, then of the several states around us.

It occurs to me that we should be able to arrive at models for professional development and professionalization of our work (speaking more from my CTC side) that will have some degree of standardization.

My community networking and building and organizing hats tell me to be mindful of the differences that we should not stifle. I don't want to professionalize and standardize to the point where we can't be creative (or let others be creative), and where communities or individuals can't direct their learning and growth.

What will it take? I think we need a vision of learning communities, and that going to take a different attitude. We need to promote a vision in order to shape attitudes. I think the attitude we want to cultivate is that of support.

Here is a brief vision statement for Cleveland in 2008, passed on to me by a colleague:
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CLEVELAND DIGITAL VISION: 2008

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."

In 2008, Cleveland is one of the most computer-literate and networked cities in the U.S. As a result, our residents are becoming better educated; more people are engaged in civic life from their blocks to City Hall and beyond; and thousands of formerly low-income Clevelanders are making good livings in a growing regional technology sector, in IT-enhanced jobs in traditional industries, and in their own small businesses.

A typical home in every neighborhood of the city has at least one modern computer with a high-speed connection to the Internet and other local networks. Everyone in the house knows how to use it.

Computer literacy and network access has become a part of every neighborhood