Technology Counts Chat Transcript

Phew... there was a lot of information contained in the chat transcript, so I'd like to highlight just a few questions/responses and comments:

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Question from Michael Carlsson, Asst. Principal (retired) in Philadelphia: Has the use of computers to write meant that students are writing better? worse? no difference?

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I really don't think this guy "gets it" (As Dr. Stearns would say). Have we learned anywehre in any of our studies that technology is integrated into the classroom simply to improve writing skills?? Of course, online publications (blogging, creating webpages, publishing student work to the web, etc.) can put a sense of pride and perfection in the minds of the students, but is that really what we as teachers are aiming for? I think a more appropriate question for this retired principal to have asked would have been "Has the use of computers to enhance student learning mean that students are actually learning better?" There are enless other benefits to technology integration- not just writing skills!

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Question from Lucy Brakoniecki, CT Women's Education and Legal
Fund: We have been engaged in the evaluation of the blended learning environment (classes using Moodle to
implement 4 curricula in CT). What we have found to date is that infrastructure is problemmatic in under-resourced schools; and that the courses are only as good (and rich and interesting)as the instructors teaching. Can you speak to
professional development format and/or content that may best assist teachers (who might not be 'digital natives')with moving along the learning curve? Many thanks!

To me, this was an excellent question. Digital Immigrant teachers like Lucky Brakoneicki, while technologically inexperienced, exhibit a desire to become fluent in new technology as well as demonstrate an understanding of the importance for learning unfamiliar programs. Using technology in our day is unavoidable: even the most resistant Immigrants to the digital age will inevitably be forced to use one form or another.

I also appreciated the response to this question. I agree that the best way for a Digital Immigrant to learn the technology is to become fully immersed in it while a Digital Native is nearby coaching progress. In a sense, that's how I've learned how to use the technologies that I have: by trial and error and coaching from those who know more than I do.

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Question from Eric Willard, Director of Technology, CUSD #300, Carpentersville,
IL: I'm interested in comparing the collected data across time to predictions. That is, where are we today compared to where we predicted five years ago that we would be today? With that as a
base, where do we predict we'll be in 2012?

Yet another intriguing question... True, our jobs as teachers is to educate our students on the best possible technologies to use and how to use them, but our job is also to "predict" possible technological shifts for the future. Anticipating what is to come should certainly drive what we're teaching our students today. Anticipation doesn't have to be just technology: we should be thinking ahead for classroom text choices, writing skills, and even *sigh* state-testing mandates.