I read a post by Karl Fisch in which he asked whether it is okay to be a technologically illiterate teacher. Well, I know one thing for sure, his staff hates him!!!! I see he likes to start up controversy. But, I agree his theory. People should not be proud of saying they are" Bad with math," or that they " Can't read." Statements like that are not okay to admit. Those people should want to be educated.
But I do disagree with some of his theory. He shouldn't down grade teachers who aren't technologically literate either. I feel he has no room to talk about anyone. He is not the smartest person in the world, and I'm sure it is someone out there smarter than him who can question his job. If he is the smart man at work, he should want to help these people not talk about them. This kind of refers me back to Mrs. Hines article. If a teacher has been in the system for thirty plus years, they are probably older and use to teaching methods they learned in college!!!! He will see that karma is a witch!!!!!!
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Hi Tresher.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure you quite got the gist of the post. It wasn't about "downgrading" teachers, it was about meeting the needs of our students. It's not about being the smartest person in the world, it's about having a conversation about how to help our students to the best of our abilities. It's not about how old you are, but how effective you are at doing the job you were hired to do.
The post was trying to explore whether a teacher today can effectively meet the needs of their students if they are technologically illiterate. What do you think - can they?
Are you surprised Mr. Fisch responded to you? I am not. THe world is small these days!
ReplyDeleteAnd how would you answer his question?
My guess is that his staff likes him for the most part. Check out Arapahoe High School (just do a Google search) and see what you can find there!
First, to Dr. Strange, I was extremely surprised Mr. Fisch commented me back, and now I'm about to answer his question.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Fisch,I do apologize for coming off so snappy. It's just when I read your post it sounded so rude to me. But, now after further explanation I understand what your point was. And, to answer your question, I do feel for now yes a teacher can still teach a student without being technology literate. In school here in Mobile, Alabama, lots of educational internet sites are blocked. Some class rooms don't even have computers. I graduated from a low income school. We didn't have any more than maybe a power-point. I feel like I came out okay! Yes in year 2020 or something teachers MUST know technology, but for now teachers can still teach to standards without it. But now don't get me wrong, I am over-fascinated with learning the new technology in Dr. Strange's class. I am very eager to learn new things about technology. I will be technologically literate! I don't think the problem is with the teachers; it's really with the city and state. They are the the ones who must fund and allow this kind of activity.
No need to apologize - you wrote what you were thinking. (Indeed, being able to participating in constructive debate is part of being technologically literate!)
ReplyDeleteI understand what you're saying, and certainly there are many issues with funding, support, infrastructure, filters, etc. (just read my blog to see/hear me complain!). But, in the end, that doesn't matter in relation to the point I was trying to make. It's our job to meet the needs of our students. We have to find a way, even if there are obstacles in our path. That may sound overly idealistic, but I don't care, it's what we're hired to do.
Whether there are restrictions in Mobile or problems because it's a low-income school is more-or-less irrelevant in terms of the discussion on the blog post - those are challenges for us to overcome. In fact, I would argue that teachers in schools such as you describe have an even higher level of responsibility to be technologically literate - and to help their students become so - because those students are less likely to have those opportunities outside of school (the "digital divide" idea).
Today's second graders are the class of 2020 - don't you think we should be preparing them for the world they are going to inhabit?
Now, Tresher, you have a real conversation going. And you have some questions to think about. Remember, questions are more important than answers, so your "answer" does not have to be the same as mine or Mr. Fisch. And your "answer"does not have to remain as it was before.
ReplyDeleteWhat is meant by technologically literate?
Do we let the "brick wall" stop us, or do we see it as a challenge to overcome, as Randy Pausch said.
What about Mr. Fisch's direct question to you: "Today's second graders are the class of 2020 - don't you think we should be preparing them for the world they are going to inhabit?"
What about the ability to converse, even debate with, others far away, and all for free?
What about the ability to have your voice heard - around the world?
Aren't these important, even vital things for teachers to be doing?
My intention is that you will be moving toward tech literacy when you leave this class. I do not expect you to have attained it. In fact, you will have to continue LEARNING and USING technology just to keep moving toward technological literacy. Should I not be pushing you in this direction? You say "I do feel for now yes a teacher can still teach a student without being technology literate." Do you think that is enough, even if it is possible?
And back to the question I asked last time: If a teacher is unwilling to learn, a condition which Mr. Fisch includes in his standard, is it not appropriate to say neither do you want to teach, or at least "Well, I don't think you should be teaching"? Aren't teaching and learning so intertwined that they cannot be separated? I certainly want any teachers of mine to set a standard for learning. Maybe not knowing, but certainly learning! You hear me say every day, "I don't know. Let's find out." It's the "Let's find out" that is vitally important.
Keep thinking. Keep conversing. Keep saying what you really feel. But also keep learning. And keep in mind that today's "answer" does not have to be tomorrow's "answer"!
And most of all, be glad that Mr. Fisch is carrying on this conversation with you! It is a great opportunity for learning!
Tresher, I agree with you to a point. Not all students need to become technologically literate to do jobs, the problem is most(if not all) jobs we probably want our students to strive for do.
ReplyDeleteMy school serves a very poor population with over 80% of the students receiving free or reduced lunches. Most of these students have parents that do not need to use much technology in their jobs and those jobs will probably not require a lot of technical skill for the next generation as well, but those jobs are not what I want my students to have as a goal.
Technological literacy is quickly becoming a the most important factor in whether an adult can move from a a low socio-economic class to a higher class. A hundred years ago being able to read might have made the difference between the worker on the assembly line and the manager of those men. I would argue that being technologically literate has become what separates the two today.
Finally, I want to commend you on both your desire to achieve and your willingness to write what you think. Make sure you allow both to thrive in your classroom!
Mr. C
Yes I agree, teachers should want and be willing to learn! But, from my experiences some of my teachers weren't tech literate. We used books and notes. And, yes I have been in a tech literate class. The education was taught to me differently, but I feel the level of knowledge that I attained was based on me. I will say learning in a technology environment is nice, but a book and pencil classroom is still okay. But, Yes, yes and yes I do believe in technology,and I do want and will be a tech. literate teacher. Our second graders will learn what they need to learn based on their ability and willingness to learn. Once I become a teacher I plan to use both technical and traditional ways to teacher my classroom. For example, there are hundreds of books, encyclopedias,articles, ect. that can all be accessed on the computer. Do you think we should stop going library? Do we to stop learning how to read indexes? Of course not, we need a back up in case technology fails. So yes I will revise my opinion, we need both technical and traditional education!
ReplyDeleteWell, since we are looking at these posts in our EDM 310 TT2 class right now, I want my name to be included in this room that has become a Blogger Hall of Fame, of sorts. Good job, Tresher, and hello Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Fische.
ReplyDeleteWell Tresher, you have 'travelled' right across the world to comment on the blogs of the students at my school where I am the eLearning Team Leader (Pt England) and I have left you notes of appreciation. These students are the poorest in our country and if it wasn't for technologically literate teachers, how would they have ever had this wonderful experience of global learning? They would have had to wait until they were adults to maybe rise above issues of poverty and become globally connected. But because of their teachers helping them share their learning via blogging, they are receiving affirmation for their learning from from people such as you. This is VERY powerful.
ReplyDeleteI invite you to read my blogpost about this
http://manaiakalani.blogspot.com/2008/10/authentic-audience.html
kia ora
Dorothy
eLearning Team Leader
Pt England School
Auckland, New Zealand