Katherine Parrish

In 2000, when I took a leave from my very early teaching career to begin a Masters in Computer Applications in Education at OISE/University or Toronto, I found myself wanting a way to take notes, write about, and record what I was researching. Because so much of it existed online, a paper notebook was woefully insufficient. I was contemplating creating my own widget, when I thought, surley I’m not the only person wanting something like this, especially now. I remember typing into Google, “online web journal.” And that’s how I found Blogger.

Almost 25 years later, most blogs are operated by businesses, written by copywriters, now replaced by AI. The closest equivalent to what I loved about blogs those early, heady days, is the substack.

I’m finding myself in a somewhat similar position to where I was in 2000.

I’m starting something new. It involves thinking about new online technology and how it impacts teaching and writing. I know a fair bit, but I also know how much I don’t know. I will be learning as I go.

And I want to do some of that learning in a communal, social space: thinking outloud and inviting conversation. This feels like the place.