Last night I watched the first two episodes of The Killing, a 20-part Danish thriller. I have never been to Denmark, and as far as I can remember I’ve never seen it depicted on film or video. But my impression of Denmark is now as follows:

It’s night time most of the time. There appear to be brief interludes of daylight in which people can go out and do their shopping or go to work in relative safety.
At night, it is either always raining, or has always just been raining.

Obviously, I know that Denmark isn’t really like that (I feel sorry for those Danes if it is), and I have the intelligence and wit to not be influenced by such impressions in any practical way. (For example, I wouldn’t turn down an invitation to speak or visit schools in Denmark on the grounds that it is always dark and raining!)

Nevertheless, impressions run deep, and first impressions run deepest of all, so this made me think: when people visit your school, or place of work, what is the first impression, and therefore probably the lasting impression, they will have of your educational technology provision? Friendly, helpful, accommodating? Or full of barriers born of a “no can do” culture?

Just asking.

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