In between moving to a new apartment and packing for the long awaited summer vacation in the Pacific is a “to do” list of technology course requirements, one of which is to follow an edublog. Caught instantly by David Warlick’s 2c Worth, his insightful prose on humdrum concerns, current events, and technology issues of educators never fail to spark a discourse in my mind.
Take for instance, “Zero Tolerance” http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=2513. Written in simple yet sarcastically fun fashion, he lists down common suggestions he culled from participants on how to inspire neophobic teachers to integrate technology such as “giving support to the teachers, providing professional development, taking small steps, and giving them time to play” – a worn out battle cry we often hear in schools and training conferences. Then he chastises “No more excuses”. Ouch!
It’s not future shock, it’s a harsh reality check. There is no more escaping the social networks, flickr, wikis, RSS, blogs, and podcasts. No more alibi of intimidation or technology replacing teachers. These are lifeless tools but have come around to haunt us if we don’t start clicking, exploring, and using them in our classrooms. Resisting them will just cause us our own extinction.
Should time still be given to accept and adapt? We are after all just like our learners who are different; not cut out the same way. How can we keep up with a 3G when the next morning we wake up with a 4G and don’t even know what all these versions mean? Am I going back to a list of excuses?
Or should schools enforce a Zero tolerance policy? It’s a battle for survival and one has a choice.
But as for me, I have no choice. "I am Blogging Now Because My Teacher Told Me To......" (title of our blogging homework).
There is zero tolerance in our class.
So I blogged and now I live.
Hi Jo Ann,It is true that some teachers just will not take the time to use technology in the class. But, I think the problem goes a bit deeper than that. I work with 54 teachers. I was amazed to discover the amount of thoses professionals who do not even use their Emails. How can we expect teachers to use technology as a teaching tool if they do not even use the computer as a means for communication? I was equally surprised to learn of the number of principals who do not encourage the use the computer as a method of communication with staff. This includes posting documents instead of sending everything in hard copy.Yes, we have a very long way to go. But, it could start if administrators would do their part in directing teachers toward the use of technology during their everyday professional life.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your instructor making this an assignment. What a great hands on lesson!Dr.D
I think it is way overdue. Teachers and educators need to use technology in the classroom to connect to the current generation, the "digital natives"- the "net generation". The teachers - the "digital immigrants" can learn and adapt. Immigrants can master the language of the natives and make it work to their advantage and many times even conquer it.
ReplyDeleteOne's experience in the field exposes us to more obstacles the school system faces and the endless wait our students continue to bear. While teachers and parents begin the process of digital immigration, children have already gone ahead acquiring digital citizenship and struggling on their own. The issues of respect, decency, safety, and intellectual property that complicate technology drag immigrants to more resistance.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has made information accessible. It has made the world smaller. It has given voice to anyone who has something to say. If there's a group of people whose voice we need to listen to, and who has lots of good to share with our children, it's the teachers. The Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc offer teachers great opportunity to connect with their students even outside the classroom. And often, it's during these more personal and informal conversations when our young people are eager to listen and to interact. If teachers fail to take an active part in the online conversations with their students, other forces of influence will, many of them not harmful. And we don't want that to happen, do we?
ReplyDeleteNo we don't. The voice and the power to influence should be reasons compelling enough to go digital. You have reminded me of how my children listen instantly when they find me "cool". When that happens, I engage, raise the idea a notch higher, and make it a teachable moment.
ReplyDeleteI'm coming from a corporate/business perspective but the issue of technology and social media adoption is the same. There's a need for digital immigrants to embrace this... As we evolve in a connected digital world, knowing how to use the computer is no longer enough. Using social media as a form of expression, education, and business tool is now a competitive advantage across industries regardless of it's type (yes including the Education Sector). For teachers and parents that are not on board with this, it's just like limiting yourself to paper and pencil. So how can we prepare this generation if we are behind with the technology?
ReplyDeleteBelow is a link to a YouTube video titled "Social Media Revolution" that explains everything on why we need to cope up with technology.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8
What we need to do in schools is to empower teachers to use technology in the classroom. We know that most teachers have an aversion to it that is why one of the goals for a possible professional development seminar would be to show teachers how easy it is to use the latest technology inside the classroom. If teachers will be comfortable with technology then they will use it more often because as teachers we frequently use strategies that we are confident and comfortable in.
ReplyDelete