My top 10 of everything

It's the top end of the year once again, and boy, did 2008 fly by ever so fast! 2008 was quite an eventful year in many ways, and quite a successful one for me.

Over the next week or two in the run up to Christmas I'm going to look back over the highlights of a year spent immersed in the world of digital learning and communication technology.

A lot has happened where new ideas and tools have risen to prominence, old ideas have been challenged, and there have been significant events, globally, nationally and personally. I'm going to use the following coding for the next few postings:

• 2008 Conferences Retro is a look back at what in my opinion were the top ten learning technology conferences I attended during the year. It was not difficult this year selecting '10 of the best' because I was fortunate enough to attend several high profile ones in Europe and Asia, and honoured to be invited to speak at a lot more.
  
• 2008 Tools Retro reviews the top ten new tools and technologies I have been introduced to and have become familiar with this past year. Some have crept up on me and have pervaded my life. Others have been more sudden and surprising. Some are already indispensable and others are growing on me.


• 2008 Friends Retro is a tribute to some of the great new friends I have made and especially those who have impressed me in 2008. I will pay tribute to those who have influenced my own thinking for the first time this year through our conversations and personal contact.


• 2008 Places Retro showcases the top ten places I have visited this past year, and highlights their best features and attractions. I hope to reflect upon the sights I have seen, food and drink I have enjoyed and any interesting travel anecdotes I can muster.


• 2008 Achievements Retro will be a reflection on my own top ten personal and professional achievements over the last year. I recommend doing this kind of reflection, as it's good to look back and see where you have come from, if only to determine where you are headed.

I hope you will enjoy reading these memories, views and reflections of 2008, even though they are my own personal (and probably at times highly opinionated) ones! I know it's a tad self indulgent, but flippin' heck, it's Christmas - what's a boy to do?