Journal+Reflection+8

media type="youtube" key="17DPJHNVx2Q" height="385" width="640" Week 9

I found this video on YouTube during the week and I think it is not only funny, but illustrates some of the most difficult hurdles in the way of a 21st Century classroom. First is the rapidly changing technological world. Technology changes so frequently it is hard to make purchases of technology. How do you purchase a technology with the feeling that it will be obsolete within months? Moreover, there is an intimidation factor with new technology. For whatever reason I still have people in our building who are scared to touch new technology because they fear they will "break it" if they "press the wrong button". What technology has ever thought to create a "wrong button" and place it within their technology to effectively render it useless? As irrational as these fears and intimidation are they are real factors in becoming a 21st Century learning environment.

I have mentioned the argument of fear being a hurdle in previous journals so I will not belabour that point here. I will say that the other part of this video that illustrates a hurdle is how those that are in love with technology come of as know-it-all, smug, and in some ways elitist. There is an image/stereotype that technology people have to face and overcome to bring people to the table. I see it in my building all the time.When some teachers here a person talking about how the newest technology is the best thing the eyes begin rolling and the audience (while not necessarily standoffish to the technology) is turned off by the demeanor of the person telling them their ways are old and out dated and they are in need of this new way that is "much better". Somehow technology people have to find ways to come across in a way that people are not loosing the message.

I don't have much of a theme to write from this week so I will expound on a few thoughts I had during the week.


 * I have a new student teacher. I say new because the University he comes from is now very high on using the team teaching model to instruct their student teachers. The more I thought about 21st Century skills/learning, the more I think that 21st Century learning cannot start with in the field teachers trying to revolutionize the district from the inside out. I think the movement should be more heavily integrated into these student teachers learning (and in more ways than a few mentions or one clsss in methods) experiences. These student teachers will be the future of the industry. If the future is to change it is those teachers that must be indoctrinated.


 * I experienced one of the most frustrating technology moments of my career this last week. My projector bulb had died and I needed a new projector. Our technology director brought in a convex lens projector that was honestly like 4 times the size of the lens of my original projector. I use my projector a lot during the week to show students things, presentations, etc. Which typically would not be a problem but the size of the lens put all of the images on the ceiling. Apparantly this lens could not fit on the screen unless it was adusted manually for an inordinate amount of time and then pushed ridiculously close to the screen. This is the type of annoyances that turn people off from technology and make them want to go back to the overhead or the textbook. Technology has to fit a person comfortably. If it is uncomfortable then it is not going to work.