Blogs First, just saw a short segment on the news on how the Internet, with blogging in particular, will be impacting the 2008 Elections. They mentioned that while blogs contain a great deal of inaccurate information, they are a powerful force in the way candidates are perceived and in shaping the way America votes and thinks.
Well it seems to me that if as educators one of our most important roles is preparing responsible citizens for the future, and the Internet and blogs are important tools in the democratic process, that using these tools in the classroom should be important. Why are we putting energy into creating pieces of legislature like DOPA that create fear in the hearts of educational decision makers in the use of these tools? Rather we should be putting our energy into finding safe, smart ways for students to use social networking tools in ways that will prepare students for using them responsibly as adults. If we offer education courses about the controversial "safety in family planning" issues without fear-- it seems teaching and modeling responsible use of the tools that will shape the adult working life of students makes just as much sense.
Technology in Medicine In the Educ tech courses I teach at W&M I share the time travel story that Papert tells. (The abbreviated version) Go back in a time machine and bring a physician and an educator forward 100 years. Ask the doctor to go practice medicine and he simply can't as too much has changed. Ask the educator to go up to the podium and teach and no problem as little has changed in the way a teacher delivers information.
Recently, I had the opportunity to see the physician side of things first hand. Technology has revolutionized the way we are practicing medicine. A few days ago I became pretty ill and had to have some extensive tests done at the emergency room. Technology was such an important part of the process every step of the way. But the ah ha moment for me was minutes after the CT scan was performed, a physician friend was able to view the results on his home computer and tell me what the problem was, which was later confirm by the emergency room physician. I was in awe. Just think of how this use of technology, coupled with social networking tools, is/could be advancing medical education; using authentic tests and patients to teach interns around the world in real time space.
Again, I went back to PK-20 education. What are we thinking? We need to be using these tools in similar ways if for no other reason than to prepare students for what they will be using in the workplace.
We are the keepers of wisdom and yet we are using tools from 100 years ago to accomplish our tasks. Incredible. I Can See Clearly Now If we look around us, in our everyday lives, we can find countless ways to advocate for redefining the way we do business in education. I am challenging the teachers I am working with around the US to lead this redefining. To let the call for change NOW to come from the voices of teacher leaders who are modeling the implementation of principled change in the way they teach and learn. With the emphasis on distributed models of leadership gaining popularity, maybe the timing is right for teachers to lead the way in involving administrators, central office leaders, superintendents and university faculty in important conversations around the Read Write Web and other social networking tools.
Blogs
First, just saw a short segment on the news on how the Internet, with blogging in particular, will be impacting the 2008 Elections. They mentioned that while blogs contain a great deal of inaccurate information, they are a powerful force in the way candidates are perceived and in shaping the way America votes and thinks.
Well it seems to me that if as educators one of our most important roles is preparing responsible citizens for the future, and the Internet and blogs are important tools in the democratic process, that using these tools in the classroom should be important. Why are we putting energy into creating pieces of legislature like DOPA that create fear in the hearts of educational decision makers in the use of these tools? Rather we should be putting our energy into finding safe, smart ways for students to use social networking tools in ways that will prepare students for using them responsibly as adults.
If we offer education courses about the controversial "safety in family planning" issues without fear-- it seems teaching and modeling responsible use of the tools that will shape the adult working life of students makes just as much sense.
Technology in Medicine
In the Educ tech courses I teach at W&M I share the time travel story that Papert tells. (The abbreviated version) Go back in a time machine and bring a physician and an educator forward 100 years. Ask the doctor to go practice medicine and he simply can't as too much has changed. Ask the educator to go up to the podium and teach and no problem as little has changed in the way a teacher delivers information.
Recently, I had the opportunity to see the physician side of things first hand. Technology has revolutionized the way we are practicing medicine. A few days ago I became pretty ill and had to have some extensive tests done at the emergency room. Technology was such an important part of the process every step of the way. But the ah ha moment for me was minutes after the CT scan was performed, a physician friend was able to view the results on his home computer and tell me what the problem was, which was later confirm by the emergency room physician. I was in awe. Just think of how this use of technology, coupled with social networking tools, is/could be advancing medical education; using authentic tests and patients to teach interns around the world in real time space.
Again, I went back to PK-20 education. What are we thinking? We need to be using these tools in similar ways if for no other reason than to prepare students for what they will be using in the workplace.
We are the keepers of wisdom and yet we are using tools from 100 years ago to accomplish our tasks. Incredible.
I Can See Clearly Now
If we look around us, in our everyday lives, we can find countless ways to advocate for redefining the way we do business in education. I am challenging the teachers I am working with around the US to lead this redefining. To let the call for change NOW to come from the voices of teacher leaders who are modeling the implementation of principled change in the way they teach and learn. With the emphasis on distributed models of leadership gaining popularity, maybe the timing is right for teachers to lead the way in involving administrators, central office leaders, superintendents and university faculty in important conversations around the Read Write Web and other social networking tools.