So, I have already acknowledged an innate distrust of technology. I feel like us humans get greedy and take things too far. Why do things have to move so fast? People keep talking about technology existing to help us do things quicker, but the fact is that the more technology that exists the less time we have because we're spending it all using all that new, flashy, fun stuff. It could be that this class with its teeny time span has packed a ton of techie talk in two weeks. The reality is, however, that at this point, I'm feeling like its all gotten out of hand. Chapter six put me over the edge. I cannot reconcile myself to Twitter and I will never use it in my classroom. My cell phone is never even on so I wouldn't get the texts anyway.
I'll be honest. The fact is, I don't really want to be a part of a collaborative online community. I want to play integral role in MY community, where I live. I want to have relationships with my garbage man, my mailman, the man two streets over who sat on his front porch every evening with his dog, Cici, but who now sits alone, my barista, my friends, my family. These are the people that I want to connect to most. They come first. I feel like if I did everything the author wants me to, I would live with some piece of electronic equipment glued to my face.
If technology can be used to enhance learning, community, content in my classroom, then I will use it. Right now, though, I'm feeling like what kids need more than a webquest is an outdoor quest where they are moving and sensing and exploring and connecting to something that doesn't run out of battery life. That's what I want anyway.
10 Years of Blogging: Time for a Change and a Book
13 years ago
3 comments:
Hey Again,
I've enjoyed reading your posts, Amber. It's interesting to be able to get the reader's perspective on something you've written. Thanks again for the honest reflection.
I'm wondering why the communities online and local have to be mutually exculsive? I still maintain relationships with friends in my neighborhood, go to my kids soccer practices and games, etc. But I've made powerful connections to others online with whom I do a lot of important learning. Twitter actually is one way that we share that and connect around that. It's just one part of my curriculum.
I'm of the mind (today at least) that as educators we need to be in both worlds, find a balance between the two, and model that for our kids. True maybe we do have to give up some of our face to face relationships, but certainly not all. And with any luck, we find equal or more value in the ones we create online. Having said that, I totally agree about sending my kids out to play and get bruised up and build dams in the creek and snow forts when they are able. We have to parent balance as well.
Best,
Will
Will, you must be a glutton for punishment... I do have a question for you, though. You mention the great educational value in collaborative writing (numerous times). In this teaching with technology class I'm taking we're writing a class article on digital storytelling. We're writing it COLLABORATIVELY on a wiki and I don't like it at all. People are changing things that shouldn't be changed! They're adding and taking away at will! I'm not going to be okay with the finished product because I know that there are weak spots that I can't change because it seems rude to undo someone's hard work (or maybe not so hard... I don't know). How does this play out in a classroom full of younger students? I get that students building an article together is a great thing, but do you really think everyone feels so great about it? What happens to those students who really value good writing? Who need it? What do they do?
I think your right about individuals spending too much time using technology that are suppose to make things quick and easy, especially in the classroom. It just seems like so much prep work because you have to teach students how to use it and provide examples of good and bad uses of the technology. After all that, it seems as though valuable time is wasted. Also, I agree with you that Twitter will never be used in my classroom. Who has time to constantly update a different status all the time.
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