When I started this class and read everything that we were going to do,I immediately thought “ yeah right.” I thought if you can take a sometime emailer and banking account checker and get them to create a Wiki page, make a podcast and a nonlinear PowerPoint then you are truly a magician. I will admit I was overwhelmed at times . I think that always in the back of my mind I was doubting myself and my abilities to cram more into my already busy brain. I realized that I just had to create a “new folder” to store all of this information I was learning. I could pull out the technology whenever possible to infuse it in to my art, after school program and personal life “folders.”
I loved the ease of collaborating on a Wiki page. It is a great tool to have with everyone being so busy and living in different places. But when I wanted to use it in school , I found that it was blocked. That was very frustrating especially when we are supposed to be teaching our students 21st century skills by using technology such as this. I seems the fear of what the extreme student may do makes them block it. The extreme student can do the same thing by using Photoshop and making a disturbing image or even Microsoft word to write up an alarming plot. How do they decide what technology they need to protect us from? I also loved google docs and even told my son and fellow teachers about being able to collaborate, revise and access their work from any computer… I will return with part two .
Angela, innovation requires leadership. Don’t underestimate your own abilities here. Develop a cohort that envisions more for the students… and then scale up. That’s just what it takes sometimes. Feed yourself and then you can feed others. You know how the airline always instructs passengers to put on their own oxygen masks first so that they can then in turn assist those how need assistance? Well, take that perspective. Keep growing. Don’t settle for the obstacles that seem to be in your path if you believe that they are best removed. Someone has to do it. Why not you?
Always know that I am now forever part of your PLN (personal learning network) and that you can contact me if you have questions or need info.