More ruminations about teachers, students, and technology use...
Topic: Getting Started
Last Saturday, Will Richardson posted the following message on his blog, Weblogg-ed:

"And another thing...

"At yesterday's workshop, only three of the 20 teachers had even heard of a Weblog when we started. I was pretty amazed. That's not a slap a the teachers who were there; it's just that the difference between my online educator blogging world and the reality of the classroom teacher world is becoming more and more acute. Online, things seem to be going in all sorts of directions. In the classroom, well...it's just a different story. Try as I might, I still have yet to find more than a couple of dozen K-12 teachers who are using Weblogs in ways that can potentially enhance their students' learning. It just feels like a big disconnect, somehow.

"One of the gems that I found this morning was from Darren Cannell who has a pretty interesting post titled "Are we entering a dark age of information?" In it, he paints a picture of the potential changes that these technologies are creating and the lack of recognition by schools.


"-Too much information.
-Students who understand how to navigate the web.
-Teachers who do not.
-Students who have no one to show them what is good and what is bad.
-A system of education in which students and teachers do not connect.

"I'm wondering to what extent students are passing their teachers in their ability to manipulate the Internet and information, and to what extent teachers will be willing to learn how to model the skills that students are going to need to manage all of this in effective ways. If I'm struggling, I can't imagine what it must be like for teachers who are just seeing the landscape for the first time."

I think there's a direct link here between what Will is seeing and Prensky's idea about digital immigrants teaching digital natives. Maybe what we need to be doing is looking at how our digital 'accents' manifest themselves and how we can compensate for that...

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants
Topic: Getting Started
I've spent a lot of time thinking about why it seems to be so difficult for educators to effectively incorporate technology use into instruction- not just blogs, although that's had my attention recently, but all kinds of technologies.

For a long time I've thought that much of it has to do with the findings from the Apple Classrooms or Tomorrow research which identified various stages of use people experience when learning to use a new technology. And I still think that the stages are important. But I couldn't figure out why so many people get stuck at Adoption and/or Adaptation. A few weeks ago I read Marc Prensky's articles Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II. While I'm not certain I believe that today's kids brains are wired differently, the rest of what he has to say makes a lot of sense.

I shared the information with some principals I'm working with and it was as if a light was turned on for them as well. Heads were nodding and people began to come up with all kinds of examples of their own digital 'accents.'

Have any of you read these articles? What do you think? Do you see the tie to ACOT and the lack of serious tech integration?

Classroom Blogs
Topic: Classroom Blogging
Whew! Where did that week go?

Actually, part of it was spent with a group of administrators in California. During the meeting I showed them this blog and mentioned some of the links that are available through different postings. A couple of people were immediately interested in the idea of teachers being able to use a blog rather than a Web site. I directed them to sites linked in this blog, but would really like to be able to point them to other examples as well.

Is anyone out there aware of additional good examples of teachers using blogs for home/school communication. I would really appreciate the information and so would the folks I met with. They're planning to check out the blog this week, so it would be great to have more leads for them.

E-mail required to post here?
Topic: Blogging Basics
There's a comment posted to another message in this blog that says that folks might be reticent about posting comments because they're asked to provide their e-mail address. Although the field is there, to the best of my knowledge (I've done it, but I'm the administrator, so things might be different for me), you do not have to fill in that field and can still post a comment.

I'd appreciate it if someone would try doing this and let me know whether or not you are able to post.

Blogging Policies
Topic: Classroom Blogging
Administrators whose teachers want to use blogs with students may want to look at Bernie Dodge's Ideas about Blogging Policies. There are links to several articles and discussion questions for teachers. I suspect that schools will end up with formal policies, but this seems to be a good starting point.

Blogging Principals
Topic: Personal Blogs
I was talking with someone about using a blog with a group of principals for a workshop. I asked her if she knew of examples of blogging principals- you guessed it! She named those folks who have been mentioned here already- Tim, in particular. It would be great to find some additional examples.

RSS
Topic: Blogging Basics
I have the capability of receiving an e-mail when someone posts a comment to this blog, but I want to explore the possibility of using RSS (Real Simple Syndication) with other blogs and Web sites that offer this feature.

I read about several free RSS readers and downloaded SharpReader. It was highly recommended in several articles. I also needed a free download from the MS Web site to make it work, but the directions were easy to follow. Now I can subscribe to sites that offer an RSS feed and can check for updates by opening the RSS reader window, rather than having to go to each individual site. I'm going to be cautious at first- just set up feeds for a few sites such as Will Richardson's blog, until I see how this works.

I think I see some potential here though- imagine blogging your school newsletter and suggesting that parents use an RSS reader to stay updated. I like the push technology here!

Blogs in Professional Development
Topic: District Communication
I'm wondering what would happen if I set up a blog for use before, during, and after a professional development session. It would be possible to invite participants to log on and introduce themselves prior to the workshop and perhaps complete an online survey.

During the workshop people could blog questions and comments, or give feedback on activities they're completing. Then after the workshop, the conversation could continue through questions, additional resources, etc.

What do you think?

Bloggers to Blame
Topic: Getting Started
I heard a news report yesterday. It had to do with CBS and the 60 Minutes broadcast about Mr. Bush and his National Guard service. During the broadcast it was stated that CBS had rushed to air the show because of bloggers! Something about news reporters being scooped too often by personal blogs and arguing that blogs are changing how stories are researched and verified prior to airing. There was also talk about how bloggers don't have to verify their postings because someone else will get online and make corrections for them! Suppose this would translate into how teachers and students deal with blogs?

Defining the Blog Audience
Topic: Classroom Blogging
In line with what I wrote Saturday, I'm thinking that when teachers and students define the audience for their blog, it accomplishes a couple of important things. First, it's possible to chose an audience that's on-site, off-site, or both. In a classroom setting some accountability can then be incorporated for students so that they don't simply posting on their own blog, but also read and respond to the blog(s) they have been invited to participate in. Second, privacy and security is a concern for many administrators. By limiting audiences, some or all of these concerns can be addressed.

I heard Alan November speak at a conference in CA a year or so ago. At that time, he was interested in Web sites where people post their writing and get reactions from other readers. Not so much on grammar or spelling, but on the content of the piece. He also talked about teachers at different sites teaming up to swap and grade student essays. I think blogs could be used to accomplish both tasks. Especially in the case of the writing sites. The few I looked at included material that would never fly in a district. I realize that kids are exposed to this stuff on a regular basis, but I don't think that educators can recommend or use them in class.