Below is an excerpt from a post by Karl Fisch back in 2006, linked to a "most influential post" of 2007. Three almost Four years later are we any closer to answering the question? Take some time to read through the comments, see if, like me, you find yourself saying; "Wow, I still have these conversations pretty daily if not weekly'
When is it going to change?
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html
I think there's a general feeling among teachers (not all teachers, but many) that it's okay to be technologically illiterate. It reminds me of when I was a math teacher. In about 80% of the parent conferences I had with students who were struggling, at least one of the parents would say "I was never any good at math either." While I don't doubt the truth of the statement, it was the fact that they said it and almost seemed proud of it that bothered me (and of course the message it sent to their student). I can't imagine a parent saying "Oh, yeah, I never learned how to read" and being proud of it.
When are we going to unlock computers so that adlt can play, download, and learn how to use these tools better? When will we enable and celebrate the opportunity for failure in regards to technology. I sent a video yesterday to a tecaher who was so frustrated by the fact that she was gong to need to get her site tech or central tech support to download Quicktime, that her exact words were:
So I downloaded the file and then I couldn’t run it because I don’t have a media player on this computer. When I tried to download one, I found that I don’t have administrative rights to download a new program. I have sent a request to the Hotline to become an administrator. Ahhhhh technology, so much fun, such a pain.
It shouldn't have to be that way! Especially if we can draw comparisons between technology skills, and reading or writing; do we make it this hard for tecahers to check out books? Is that eve a fair comparison, if not what parallel can you see?
Here's a final nugget from Karl's post four years ago, I think it sparks great conversation and debate.
If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write.
2 comments:
What do we mean by "technology literate"? As explorative as we are? MS Office?
I agree with your -- and Karl's -- sentiments, but I just wonder. Do I think every teacher should be as connected and accessible online as I am? I don't think so. I feel like I've gone overboard at times.
Great points Russ, I am also not a huge fan of the word literate being so overly used in education. I do believe that it's reasonable to expect and require some base set of skills to be in the classroom. Should you be as edu-techy as so many of us, probably not. But, there is no way I can allow the excuses, that "I just don't get or know technology," or "Technology is something teacher "x" does in his class, but not me; to be okay for my kids' teachers anymore.
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