A Celebration-Last BLog

Normally, I'd wait till Wednesday at 12:30 or so to blog. But because this is the last one, I am commemorating the occasion with an early blog.

Moran-No, Chris, not moron...moran. Or as Bugs Bunny would say...what a maroon! But I digress. Technology these days is not just the computer...it's cell phones, blackberries, iPods...all with access to the Internet. All of those are ironically banned from schools. As much as writing teachers must keep up with the changing technologies, schools must re-visit their rules and allow for some access to the "new" technologies where appropriate. Our district used to be on the cutting edge of technology and up on all the new curricular advancements. I'm not sure what happened, but not only are they way behind (no cell phones anywhere at any time, including after school events) but they have now rigged schools computers in a way that allows access only to specific sites, typically sites like NetTrekker and Culturegrams, thereby eliminating me from using wikispaces and 21 classes (blogging site)...the district has a subscription with both, but I cannot access it. So, I sent a simple email to the powers that be..."Who in God's name limited computer access to the point that I can't allow my remediation groups to blog or set up wikis?" We now have people trying to undo a, well, moronic decision.

I agree (204) that technology is not so much meant to improve writing...but for my students who for some reason are so focused on how badly they hand-write and not WHAT they are writing...computers afford them more time to edit what matters and not focus on their handwriting. it gives them more time to think...and it takes less time to type (for most) than to write...so their thoughts don't get too lost. Technology also allows teacher and students quicker, easier access to many more ideas to steal and to use those ideas as a springboard. Technology is something all students should be allowed access to...it's just the way things are done, whether it's for higher education or for the students who is simply meant to be a stock person in the back of a department store...technology is used everywhere.

I should give the bibliography portion of this essay to our computer teachers...sometimes i wonder what exactly goes on in those classrooms. The students would glean some really interesting info, if presented in that way, about the history of computers in schools. The tech teachers could also sneak a writing lesson, unbeknownst to the students, into the teaching of technology, even if it is as simple as showing them different options (208) about auto-correcting, undoing all caps without re-typing, etc...to using HTML (213) and setting up web pages (which many will have if they own any type of business) these are fun to know but will also be useful to many of the students in the future. I know my reading students always get a kick out of my stories about AOL when it was the only on-line community...and also charged 4.95 an hour for usage...well, my bill was once over $400...and they just are in awe. When you can relate things kids take for granted to their current life and how much easier it is now...they love the stories, but they are also being educated in tech history. They just looked shocked when i talk about typewriter correction fluid...and how that was MY tech class in HS...and let's not even get started on no email, or text, or no such thing as Internet access when I was their age...and busy signals...(NO call waiting? are you kidding me?)

I was surprised to see a chapter that addressed how different races and the genders utilize technology. Not shocked-surprised, but I never thought about this in terms of researching it. Interesting. I do agree that the computer used to be a "boys toy" as its referred to in the essay. The Hawisher book that is referred to goes as far as deeming women victims online (in one sentence)...not quite sure what exactly that's referring to tho...general use and online dating? If so, then I can see that. How many news articles report men somehow victimizing young girls who get caught up and women who are at an age where they should really know better with all we know. Anyway, the author then discusses briefly Hawishers documentation of how some women (few) persist in the area of online academia. She does not elaborate, and the book was written over 10 years ago, so obviously times have changed in that area.

What hasn't changed since this was written is the idea that although schools have done a great job trying to level the playing field in terms of technology access, some kids are not able to have access at home, or are able to get to the public library, or the only access they have at school is doing a required research project, therein excluding them from knowing the basics of email or getting to know a basic word processing program. It really also depends on their future needs and their social discourse when it comes to uses and needs for technology.(220)

Anson-Again, written 10 years ago when the entire world was afraid the year 2000 would blow up all computers or infect them with viruses, or eliminate all financial transactions that were in computers...I woke up jan 1 2000, checked my computer and various on-line accounts and thought...good Lord...another hoax about the semi-end of the world.

The one thing that will never go over well with me (807) is the whole idea of virtual classrooms or distance learning, and online "courses". There just really is no subsitition...no matter how crystal clear the TV picture of the professor comes in...for in-person discussions that allow for more clarity, actual conversation that doesn't limit you to speaking one at a time, and actual physical faces. When it comes to teaching writing and integrating technology...is it about the writing or does it seems we are more focused on intorducing more and more technological concepts that are not about writing at all...??? Again, culture...schools are doing sort of well keeping up with all the new technology...but not all students need it now or will in the future. Are schools looking at their kids' needs or are they more concerned with how impressive it looks to have rooms full of whiteboards, laptops, and other new technology? How is it being put to use? Whose agenda is it? Is the agenda meant for the students? how many more new innovations before it's just too much to deal with? Case in point...I was required to watch a teacher give a small seminar during an in-service. She is a math teacher. She has an iBoard. She has iClickers. She has a lot of gadgets for this iBoard. Which by the way, I don't have one in the room I use, but I can't understand why some teachers are crying over not having one when the in-Focus does the same thing. But whatever. Anyway...great little workshop. In the end, this great new invention of iClickers...I know how to use them. They're fun. They have purpose. Very easy and obviously should be integrated into a math-based classroom or very concepts-based class. Just not for reading. So now, I wasted my time learning how to use something I'll never have any use for. Ever. So, same goes for students and who they are and where they come from. Some will just have no use for all this new technology. It's one thing to use it b/c it's required for, say, the math class my colleague teaches. But are we getting away from teaching them the basics b/c we forget that not all of them have the basic access at home? I guess the question is...how effective is all this new technological "stuff" on student learning? Is the use of it for the teachers and admin, or is it for the students?