Comments on: Taking a Step Backward

By: Rolin

Rolin — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 17:19:04 +0000

I am thinking about Annie’s note that adoption by the school does not mean adoption by teachers. And that might be the crux of your sticking point, your not-yetness. Determining why GAFE is going to be important, but that needs a lens from which to engage. Is your function going to be driven bottom-up or top-down? That can help frame the Why GAFE question.

The key is to not be afraid of this process. There is an arbitrary timetable on what you are doing only because you are in a course, but understand that we are here to work with you not against you. Take your time in exploring and musing and considering what you want to do. This week’s readings get a lot at history and multiple perspectives on the use of technology in the classroom, and the critical lenses on which we hang a lot of what we do. Take those in, especially the Seymour Papert article on technocentricism. The critique is 30 years old but still new — that when we look at technology as a solution in and of itself we are doing more than glossing over an issue; we are harming it by putting stressors in places they cannot be supported. Perhaps Papert’s thinking on computational considerations versus technocentric solutions can be a catalyst for helping you understand what it is you endeavor to do. Regardless, from this perspective, you are on track with your thinking.

By: Ryan Ingersoll

Ryan Ingersoll — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 02:34:40 +0000

Becky, I really appreciated your method of using the blog post to respond directly to feedback. Your post was easy to follow and provided space for me to think about it with my own personal perspective. Furthermore, your vulnerability may be enough for me to post my initial thoughts as a blog rather than a closed Google Docs post. Thank you. One of your key statements, “With this in mind, I need to establish an action plan, a very intentional roll-out, accompanied by student and faculty training.” is powerful. You recognize that not only educators need support an training, but ALSO the students. Often I think we can leave them in the dust–not because we are persuaded by the digital native myth–but because they are not a very loud stakeholder. This is a crucial realization. I look forward to learn more about how you will approach that area!

By: Marsha Scott

Marsha Scott — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:55:53 +0000

This reflection blog was a great idea to post the feedback from others and to address concerns about your plan. After rereading your blog for over an hour and reflecting over the various responses, two thoughts kept emerging: professional development and the needs of students.

My thoughts are whatever technology tool is chosen for a school, I would expect the proper professional development on how and why to use this new technology in my classroom. After intense training, my expectations would be to implement the technology with students. As a professional, I would need to design lessons that determine why and when the technology would be used with students. So my intentions would be to use the new technology to support the learning of students and to provide an enriched learning environment. As a teacher, if training is not available or there is little support, then most likely the technology will not be incorporated in my classroom. I’ve also noticed that for most teachers, they need to “buy” into the new technology or system. Otherwise, it becomes “one more thing” to add to their already filled plates.
I don’t know if my thoughts will move you forward in your action plan, but this conversation has made me ponder about my own situation. I look forward to reading about your next steps in pursuing the ideal digital learning environment. Thanks for your “think alouds”, Becky.

By: Annie Tremonte

Annie Tremonte — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 23:08:00 +0000

I really appreciated your post Becky. You helped me to flesh out my own thinking about GAFE in light of some of our conversations. I am impressed by how clearly you articulated your justifications for the implementation of GAFE. I think the power of seamless tool integration and the ability to easily collaborate are really important. I don’t think you are suggesting that this tool is a replacement for other technologies that might be messier or more segmented. Rather, you see a need and an opportunity for your school to benefit, even if you are still ruminating on this. When I completed my GCP last quarter, I was hard-pressed to find alternatives to GAFE for my students to collaborate. Despite experimentation with numerous other options, I ended providing my students with some generic, teacher-controlled, admin-supported Google Docs and Google Slides for them to collaborate in. It was the simplest, easiest method available both for collaboration and given the familiarity students already had with the tools. I don’t mean to suggest anything more than this one example implies however. I think what is most powerful about your post is your discussion of teacher adoption and professional development. It is astute of you to note that adoption by a school does not mean adoption by the teachers. I am excited to follow your thought process on this.