AfterEd, a cool new web video channel on education run out of Teachers College, offered to make a series of animated eduwonkette episodes, and I couldn't resist. I already watched their
weekly education news roundup, their "
student spotlights," and loved their previous animation (teachers, check out
Klona, a superteacher who can do it all), and knew they would do an amazing job. And they did.
Head over to their site to see "
eduwonkette, Episode I", or check it out below:
Here are the credits - please give these guys and girls a serious round of applause!
Produced by
Simon Doolittle and
Ian ToledoWritten by Simon Doolittle
Artwork by Ian Toledo
Animation by Ian Toledo,
Skye MacLeod, and
Josh AndersonMusic by Josh Anderson
Voice by Josh Anderson and Simon Doolittle
Dear Eduwonkette,
The video is superb. You should embrace your celebrity while at its apex. It also prompted me to look at the bigger picture of your anonymity. As an employee of the NYC DOE I enjoy your in depth critiques as much as anyone. However, it seems to me that your [i] nom de plume [/i] is starting to get in the way of the important messages you’re bringing forth.
It reminds me of Deep Throat: the search for his real identity became more important than his critical role in revealing criminal acts that President Nixon engaged in. When his real identity was revealed, it was far less sexy than the other hypotheticals that had bounced around for years. Kissinger! Haig! And then we let out a collective yawn when Mark Felt (who?) revealed himself.
Someday when you unmask yourself as Jane Smith, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Closeto U, your message will take on greater import (Meier & Ravitch, 2008). Until then, I wonder if your identity will obscure and undermine your message.
I’ve been bullied and bossed around by DOE administrators myself. Do not fear them.
Warm regards,
Anonymous ;)
This video is fantastic! I can't wait for Eduwonkette Episode II: The Pink Knight
Great video. I must take issue with one inaccuracy--you *do* have x-ray vision.
In regards to Jack's, err... "Anonymous's" comment about the anonymity:
I was thinking about this exact thing yesterday (even in respect to Eduwonkette). The people who currently have a problem with "her" message are the only ones who really care what her true identity is. For example, if and when her identity is revealed, those people will be able to point at her experience level and/or type and use that as some kind of Ad Hominem argument as to why she's been wrong about everything she ever wrote. It wouldn't matter if she were a 50 year-old Harvard professor or a cable repair guy in Dubuque, Iowa--they would find a way to discredit her ideas based simply on her identity.
The people who really only care about the facts and the truth, on the other hand, could really care less what her true identity is as long as her facts and conclusions are accurate.
For another bad analogy, does Commissioner Gordon really care what Batman's true identity is? No, only the Penquin, Joker, Catwoman, et al. give a hoot about unmasking Batman. As long as Batman continues to bring in the bad guys, the police are happy to look the other way.
Keep up the anonymity, IMHO.