Wow, I've been reading about the wonderful world of blogs and to be honest I thought very little of them previously. I guess it took Richardson to spell it out for me - blogs are amazingly complex and intricate and the levels of blogging he mentioned really hit home. Now I think I've been doing a good job of "true" blogging, but I didn't really know the pedagogy behind why I was being asked to maintain a blog for this program, other than documentation (which I appreciate in and of itself.)
In the book by Richardson, I've found that the balance between teacher and student is again shifting as the students have much more expertise in many of the areas of collaboration with social tools and the teachers and districts are a step (or more) behind. I like to think that I'm looking to the future and working towards implementing the 21st century skill set in my classroom and that I do a pretty fair job of it already. I also like to think that I'm ahead of the administration at the school (which is a bit tough as the principal is also the technology director) but I never imagined that even though I may be ahead of the curve in some instances, when it comes to a majority of my students I'm still light years behind. I struggle most with getting all of the students on an equal playing field as well, considering the differences in access level to the internet, interest level etc. I mean, most of my students were pushed to the limits by my Pecha Kucha (Pet-cha what? they said through their snickering) and I think their ears were bleeding because I talked so fast in many of the slides...I showed them my Animoto video on blood spatter analysis and most of them had never seen that application. So my struggle is finding the time to pull it all together - the resources, the content (I am a science teacher after all) the examples, the tools, the applications, the access etc. so that THEY can be creating and sharing. My personality type has me wanting to do so much of it right away but I can't wrap my head around one idea before our class has launched me in a new direction. I know that I just have to step back and take it one day at a time and start small (didn't Richardson say that too?)
and I think their ears were bleeding because I talked so fast in many of the slides...I showed them my Animoto video on blood spatter analysis and most of them had never seen that application. So my struggle is finding the time to pull it all together - the resources, the content (I am a science teacher after all) the examples, the tools, the applications, the 
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I feel the same way about the possibilities the learning curve and time limitations. My students do not have access problems but they do have vastly different skills sets when it comes to using the technology. I try to give them options but I struggle with the delivery platform and implementing the presentation into the classes. I thought Richardson had a good idea when he suggested we get used to using web tools by supporting our own learning and then we can start to apply what works for us in our classrooms.
ReplyDeleteTechnology in education is becoming like nothing we have ever seen before. Because of the ever changing technology it is next to impossible to keep up to date. You can bet the kids are. I feel the I am behind before I ever start. The only way we can survive is to keep trying. I stopped looking at the big picture (too big) and focused on what I can accomplish now with what I have.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree as well Ann about the challenges we face and how in the world we're supposed to find the time to fit everything in. I'm hoping that I can find a way to maintain a Ning in my class and then have students do extra things outside of our class time through the Ning. I also agree with Richardson that we have to find what works for us, not the other way around. And yet, I wonder where we draw the line. I mean, shouldn't we be expected to cover things, even if they may not be in our comfort zone? At least this is what I'm telling some of my teachers. I want to try to figure out that balance between working with our comfort zone and reaching outside of it.
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