Happy New Year! I share this greeting on behalf of the entire ITC Board of Directors AND your fellow ITC members! We are a community of Distance Learning and Ed Tech professionals and have a lot in common:
- We recognize the importance of technology in higher education and see it as THE critical priority
- Most of us had no real background in technology BUT gravitated to our current career track because of #1
- We have chosen a career track with an insane workload – but we show up every day because of #1
- We remain something of an enigma at our campuses – no one fully understands what we do
- If asked, most of us would agree that we likely should have our heads examined – but we just don’t have the time to do so!
Said another way, misery love company – we have the opportunity to learn from each other – to help others when we can and to seek help when we need to.
I encourage you in the New Year (2026) to reach out to the ITC community of professionals. Take advantage of the various benefits of ITC membership; volunteer and become more involved in the ITC (yes, this sounds counter-intuitive as it would add to your workload BUT is can become an amazing learning and growth experience – and you can help others as well!!). If you haven’t already, make this the year you attend the ITC National Conference (March 13-15 in Austin, Texas) and/or participate in the ITC Spring AI Summit (April) and/or the ITC National Leadership Academy (July in Eugene OR). The resources and activities of the ITC are designed to help you – to prepare you for the tech-related changes ahead, to sharpen your leadership skills, enrich you through tailored professional development sessions and to engage with others (the ITC National AI Affinity Group) in helping our community colleges better understand and manage the AI juggernaut. You need this - - and we need you!
And again, Happy New Year!!
Please let me know if you have any questions or I can be of any assistance. [email protected]
Recommended Reading
A 4-Part Test For Teaching In An AI World, Inside Higher Ed
What knowledge do students need to have ready to access in their brains—and what knowledge can they store externally?
Where Are You On The Ed Tech Curve?, Campus Technology
Ed tech maturity models can help institutions map progress and make smarter tech decisions.
Newly Launched Agentic AI Foundation Brings Together Tech Giants For Open Source AI Development, Campus Technology
The Linux Foundation has announced the formation of the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF), bringing together Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and other major tech companies to advance open source development of autonomous AI systems.
13 Predictions About Ed Tech, Innovation and – yes – AI in 2026, eCampus News
Higher education is balancing innovation with equity, student support, and pedagogical integrity as institutions reshape themselves for a new era of learning
Students Must Develop Durable Skills To Thrive In An AI-Dominated World, eCampus News
Durable skills are critical for success in college and beyond--and laying a strong foundation for these skills in K-12 learning is essential
AI In Higher Education: A Guide For Teachers, EdTech Magazine
Discover how higher ed leaders are using AI in academia to boost engagement, efficiency and critical thinking.
Video Of The Week
How AI Is Reshaping College For Students And Professors, YouTube/PBS
As the technology improves, it's harder to distinguish from human work, and it’s shaking academia to its core.
