First Glimpse - 504
First, I have to say that the teaching with technology portion of SECMAC was one of the premier draws of this program for me. Having said that, I now know that I had no idea of what "teaching with technology" would really look like. I had some ideas, like texting students homework reminders, or messaging students on Facebook to get off their page and get on task. When I contemplated these "cute" uses for technology in the classroom, I had not even begun to consider the questions surrounding these seemingly trivial ideas. Questions of permission and control hadn't occurred to me. I had contemplated the use of video technology as a self-reflexive tool, one that I could use to critique and refine my teaching process, but the Sheskey reading opened my eyes to the effect such a tool could have on students. Even then, I still hadn't scratched the surface of how powerful a tool the Internet, and other technological advances, can be. Only after I had sat for thirty minutes listening to Jeff an Christine did I think about how broad the scope of possible educational uses for technology actually is. With that broad scope of possibility comes an even broader field of inquiry, one that may never fully be exhausted. Believe it or not, I like that idea.
Secondly, I have to say that I am not very enthusiastic about the blogging. It may be a sign of my age but, I find myself a tad uncomfortable with the idea of sharing my thoughts in this way. Cyber-conversing with a basically faceless audience leaves me bereft of the usual face-to-face cues that I might be violating social courtesies, or worse, soliloquizing on my own private soap-box. This forum leaves me free to babble on about any old idea that I might have, good or bad, right or wrong. While I might be prone to the same errors in face-to-face conversations, words in the air don't have the permanence of words on a page, or more accurately, words committed to the eternity of cyberspace. I mean, who wants a permanent record of a stupid or erroneous comment? As an English major, every word that I write, or speak, reflects on the quality of my education. I live in terror of being found lacking in my craft. Words have power. To be an English major is to claim mastery of that power. I don't take that lightly and that may be one reason that I am hesitant to casually approach blogging in the way that some others do.
At any rate, I intend to jump in and blog with the best of 'em. Be patient and I'm sure I will get the hang of it. Be patient, I am sure to make some embarrassing and comical mistakes. Be very patient and I might learn and share something that you didn't already know.
Until next time, I remain...
Simply Serious
Thanks for being willing to give this a whirl, Simply Serious. I am hoping that, in the fullness of time, the "give and take" that you'll have with your colleagues on your blog and theirs will have some value, and will make this feel less like a soliloquy and more like an extended, more leisurely conversation. Let's hope for that, but part of the deal here is that you get a taste of this experience and see if it seems like something that might (or might not) be useful for you.
ReplyDeleteWe do plan to build upon what was discussed in the Sheskey article, and to offer you some other examples of tech tools of varying kinds used to aid student learning. We hope that you'll find a useful tool or have a spark for an idea.
Oh, and I think you're on to an idea that is vitally important and is much bigger than ED 504, and that is your mentioning the importance of being patient, and to which I would add the importance for all of you to be patient with yourselves in what will surely be a challenging year. Being patient with yourself as you try new things and push outside your comfort zone is the best possible advice, Simply Serious.
Simply Serious, your words about blogging — not enjoying the feeling that you are on a soap box and being concerned about the quality and permanence of your — could have been my own.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of using blogs in education. I actually came into the program with this feeling, because I discovered that my to-be mentor teacher had class blogs, and, very quickly, I could see how it creates an extension of the classroom and, in an English context, a place where students can practice writing.
But I've been uncomfortable with having my own blog. Most of the time, I don't feel as though what I have to say warrants something so public. And, as English folks, we do judge ourselves harshly. I have spent way too much writing some of my blog entries.
A wise woman told me that I should think of a blog as a conversation. I'm trying.
I'm wondering if your own views of blogging have changed over the last several weeks?
I remember walking away from our first class and thinking about how much you brought intense curiosity, deep thinking, and passionate engagement about kids to the room. One of the best things a blog can do is highlight our authentic selves. And I think this post does that for you.
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