Not sure if I should be depressed or elated when I learn about someone who is two years ahead of me in his or her thinking. Lev Gonick, CIO at Case Western Reserve, seems to be one of these two-year-in-the-future type people.

Go check out Lev's September/October 2007 EDUCAUSE Review column, "Open-Source IT Leadership for Web 2.0."

Lev writes:

"What does IT leadership look like in the world of Web 2.0? I see the need for a new kind of IT leadership, one that must surrender a modicum of control. Call it "open-source leadership." IT leaders must accommodate the contributions of the community rather than control them. They must learn to be supporters and enablers, not obstructionists. They must learn to cede some authority in this evolving world."

This statement may not sound all that groundbreaking today, but remember that he was writing two years ago, and writing as a CIO. We are still very much struggling to understand the implications of agile Web 2.0 tools for teaching and learning.

We should pay close attention to anyone who can sound fresh and innovative two years out in our world of educational technology. Fortunately, Lev is a prolific Web contributor, leaving a vast digital trail of articles, recorded presentations, online discussions and blog posts.

Some highlights of Lev's Web tracks:

--The Year Ahead in Higher Education Technology column from January '09 IHE. This column reads like a year-in-review of 2009, rather then a set of future projections. His 2010 Year Ahead column will be required reading.

--Lev's blog, "Bytes from Lev," is a model for how academic leaders can best utilize this platform.

--EDUCAUSE Live presentation: “How Technology Will Reshape Academe After the Economic Crisis" (5/09). The presentation is archived and available for viewing.

--Podcast Interview: How Tech Shapes our Future with Craig James. Available for listening/download at this link. I like this podcast because we learn about the path that Lev took from the faculty world to his current leadership role in educational technology.

--Video of Point / CounterPoint Session -- In and Outsourcing: Benefits and Risks, with David E. Trevvett, EDUCAUSE 2008 conference. A companion podcast interview with Gerry Bayne can be found at this link.

--A must-not-miss session at the upcoming Educause conference will be Lev and his colleagues, "Leading the University as a "Platform"

One of my goals for this blog is to better understand the network of people working in learning technology. Having just finished Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, I'm convinced of the necessity in uncovering this network to understand the strategic role that learning technology plays in shaping the future of academe. Lev Gonick is a central node on this network.

Does anyone know of any tools that would allow learning technology networks to be graphed and displayed?

Who do you look to in our network to help us understand (and shape) the future of higher ed technology?