tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post8492507009995216117..comments2023-10-19T04:34:54.187-05:00Comments on The Strength of Weak Ties: To Integrate or to be Integral?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-73801659475189670232008-05-29T09:16:00.000-05:002008-05-29T09:16:00.000-05:00David,The shift from "integrate" to "integral" is ...David,<BR/><BR/>The shift from "integrate" to "integral" is significant. More than a year later since you wrote this post, I see groups such as the Nat'l Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) bringing technology "inside" the "teacher skill set" - http://www.ncte.org/announce/129117.htm.<BR/><BR/>Over the next few months, I'll be involved in re-writing my district's technology plan. Thanks for articulating some guidelines.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-34852066302468422762007-11-01T20:05:00.000-05:002007-11-01T20:05:00.000-05:00David,I have to disagree a little with you here. I...David,<BR/>I have to disagree a little with you here. I don't think technology is equivalent to lecture at all. When one says “lecture”, we all know what that means. When one says “technology”, the ideas that are visualized here are endless. One can “lecture” with technology or with out it. Lecture is not a tool. It is a structure tied to a pedagogical framework. Technology is a tool to support whatever pedagogical framework being employed.<BR/> Also, for many teachers, technology IS an “extra” when you have never had to use it before - and frankly, have never needed it before to teach. Why do teachers suddenly need to use it? In some teachers’ minds, this is equivalent to saying that all teachers must migrate over to complicated electronic grade books. Why? Does this change how we assess students? What if I would rather use my good old paper/pencil technology (and many teachers do)?<BR/> I would add an additional question to your three very good ones here, and that is: Does the use of technology help operationalize my pedagogical beliefs and desires for teaching and learning? For example, does technology help facilitate collaboration or problem-solving? Does technology supply tools that help amplify thinking, spark creativity, or visualize ideas? Does technology empower students and facilitate self-directed learning or the pursuit of unique interests?<BR/>Or, in along more traditional lines: Does technology help me generate worksheets, create puzzles, assess quantitatively, present information, create displays, find resources for my lessons, communicate with parents...<BR/><BR/> We have to understand the pedagogical framework that teachers are working from rather than impose our ideas of how technology use should look if it is integral to learning. What kind of learning? I think that the real issue here that drives technology’s integral role is how we VIEW learning. Because let’s face it - for some, technology is just a pain in the neck and they use it as if they were putting a square peg in a round hole. They use it to please their superiors. Or, they try their best to steer clear of it altogether. So, I think the work that still needs to be done is to help bring vision back to teachers who have lost it, to help teachers no longer excited about learning new things find that spark, to rekindle their desire to connect with students, to help teachers take risks and to make failure safe, to reward collaboration and innovativeness, to foster a community of practice... I think THIS is where technology becomes integral. Any less, and technology, at best, is integrated. At worst, tolerated.<BR/><BR/>Great post.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01927472664815750779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-21404361698339518192007-10-16T22:28:00.000-05:002007-10-16T22:28:00.000-05:00David,You make a very good point here. You’re righ...David,<BR/>You make a very good point here. You’re right about not having a “specialist” for other areas of our teaching and yet there seems to be a different set of standards when it comes to technology. Perhaps it has to do with the thought that those teachers who are not using technology as an integral part of their teaching lack what they perceive as sufficient technology skills. Now you and I know that shouldn’t be an excuse, and yet when I go to train teachers I hear all sorts of reasons for not being able to log into the server, for not being able to download or attach a file in Email, for not being willing to explore where technology can take a lesson, for not being open to transitioning some of their “paper” assignments to the web….etc. I exercise patience and try to move them another step forward. But I also try to ask them and myself WHY they are holding on so dearly to a certain (low) level of skill sets. TIME is always the number one response. They often say there just isn’t TIME to make the transition or to learn the skills needed to feel comfortable. They seem to believe that only those with a deep passion for technology have TIME to make the shift. Some will say that they don’t bother because their students don’t have access outside of school. I say ALL THE MORE REASON to use the technology. If not at school then those students won’t get much of it at all. I won’t go on and on here….I will continue on my quest to bring as many students and teachers along with technology as I possibly can! As always, I appreciate your perspective and inspiration.Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15127273859427000670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-74049851618658493292007-10-16T07:46:00.000-05:002007-10-16T07:46:00.000-05:00Kern: I completely agree with you on the label of...Kern: I completely agree with you on the label of teacher. I think there is nothing more elegant than that.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07323501470071470799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-62600006265749240032007-10-16T03:27:00.000-05:002007-10-16T03:27:00.000-05:00Hi Dave, I completely agree and think that the ter...Hi Dave,<BR/> I completely agree and think that the term implies something that is incorrect - that technology is an artificial layer to be added to what you're already doing in the classroom. I often tell staff don't add to your workload, just do it this other (presumably better, ultimately easier) way. <BR/><BR/> And I may have missed the tweet, but is there another 'Title' besides Technology Integrator that easily explains what my job is to staff, students and parents? Technology Integralist, Educational Technologist, Information Literacy Specialist, UberGeek, or maybe just Teacher? <BR/><BR/> Traditionally teachers see all techies alike. I do not want to be the guy who gets called when the printer goes down, but to most staff if electricity goes through it, it must be a tech problem. Maybe it's just a matter of time for the distinction to be widely understood, but for now if the title Technology Integrator explains that in two words, I'll live with it. But I'm all ears to suggestions for a new one.Kern Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16918073875608014468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-41023903321251624572007-10-15T23:38:00.000-05:002007-10-15T23:38:00.000-05:00Great point Dave! I have to say that I am very pr...Great point Dave! I have to say that I am very proud of being a technology integration specialist and have seen the evolution of my role just like ahelfant describes. <BR/><BR/>That being said, there is a fundamental difference in the learning curves of using a book, teaching strategies like cooperative teaching and using technology in the classroom. <BR/><BR/>Just think about the amount of time used to train teachers on how to use textbooks through their own educational experience versus teachers learning how to use tech in their classroom. I just wrote my own entry regarding my own experience lately with professors and their abilities to integrate technology in their classrooms. Higher education needs technology integration specialists just as much if not more than K-12 teachers.SMeechhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00638316760895718112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-3521553327121916492007-10-15T22:20:00.000-05:002007-10-15T22:20:00.000-05:00I like tech being integrated or embedded. I have b...I like tech being integrated or embedded. I have been doing tech "integration" for 6 years now and my role has become increasingly one of curricular design. I just finished a project with science classes and when we were done, we realized that the tech we used (diigo.com groups) FELT minmal. We had designed a good debate that forced presentation skills and had good library/research integration (enhanced with searching and evaluating sources and creating presentations) but it didn't feel at all like tech and I wasn't really needed to do the tech. It was just intentional, curricular change. It was cool!ehelfanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10835440931239615620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-37945838546897010772007-10-15T21:25:00.000-05:002007-10-15T21:25:00.000-05:00Preach it brother...Preach it brother...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7422202.post-71197547673217077642007-10-15T20:52:00.000-05:002007-10-15T20:52:00.000-05:00David,Being a librarian, it reminds me of that You...David,<BR/><BR/>Being a librarian, it reminds me of that YouTube video about the monk figuring out how to use the book.<BR/><BR/>This whole idea that technology is something separate is so yesterday, I agree.<BR/><BR/>Do we talk about integrating books into the curriculum or wonder why we should use them? (well occasionally now, people do...)<BR/><BR/>I bet you'd be hard pressed to find a teacher that hasn't checked something on the internet daily, or several times a week.<BR/><BR/>And yet, I agree, we still talk about all technology as though it is some "add-on," as though global literacy and world wide connections are some sort of frill.<BR/><BR/>Glad you expanded on the tweet.Carolyn Footehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07581454611313810543noreply@blogger.com