I've spent most of the morning attending and education technology conference virtually. I stopped for a break, relocated to the kitchen table and this butterfly was outside hte dining room window. As I type these words the butterfly flew away. I didn't know if he/she could fly.... A bit like my thoughts on education as this morning had progressed. Well, hopefully education in the US will not end up like this butterfly. It was just chased and pounced to the ground by one of our cats. I see it still fluttering in the grass but.....The educational system, from the outside, look beautiful and idealic. I was told this morning that there are students in other countries that because of our system of public schools and the freedoms that we are afforded in the US that, they thought that US students got to sign up for and study whatever interested them. Regardless. inside this beautifully free and nationally available system, there are students being disserved because there are those in authority who either are so set in their ways they do not want to change or they buy into that nights weekends and summers off fallicy. Either way, there are some teachers, schools, and/or districts that are not prearing students for the world they will live in.
We may not like that people spend more time with their heads in a computer of one sort or antoher for a majority of the day. One thing I do know... Intertia... just because you may not like something will not stop the deluge that is occuring. Much of the world is transitioning to a world of technology and digital and mobile devices. We need to prepare students to not only survive but thrive in such an environment. I teach sciennce. I know the subject matter lends itself quite easily to integrating technology (notice I did not say teaching technoology)
With my new virtual class coming upon me far to quickly there are aspects of the class that I"ve not converted to totally digital. So much of human expression, especially confusion and exasperation, are shown through non-verbal clues. Many of the students i encounter insist on getting "the right answer" and in science there is, or should be, a process to coming up with the 'answers'. It is always much easier to guide a student, building from what they know and asking questions from there, to a conclusion verbally. That interaction is difficult with a chat room and impossible with a one way communication method like recorded lectures.
I'll keep exploring. maybe something I see or hear will lead me to an answer. Worked for Archimedes :)
