I grew up with a typewriter. Sometime in the young, 1980s, my family purchased Atari. When I headed off to college, I bought myself a Brother Word Processor. A few of the kids on campus from 1990 – 1994 had an Apple computer.
In 1996, after finishing my Teaching Masters, I enrolled for an environmental science degree, too. It was here, I first learned about e-mail. I worked as an intern for the Beargrass Creek Task Force and operated on an Apple computer for word-processing and creating newsletters, mailing lists and databases. Also, I began learning about the web and, with dial up, I helped create a Kentucky Environmental Resource Guide. Soon after, I bought my first Apple personal computer.
When I entered the classroom in 1998 to teach 9th, 1oth & 12th grade English, I didn’t have a computer in my room. Instead, I had the one at home. By 1999, we were upgraded to have a new computer. I had an original eMac. By 2001, I joined forces with the CSILE Network in my district, and this provided my students with four eMacs. By 2003, I had a Powerbook and now I operate on a MacBook Pro.
In many ways, I evolved with the current “E-Learning” age. As an English Teacher, I tried my best to utilize technology and feel moderately successful. I know that colleagues of mine chose the “Luddite” approach and I like to think of myself as more of an “enthusiastic embracer” (Conway & Zhao, 2003a). My room inevitably moved from a text-centered room to a text/cybertext reality. I transitioned with my students and I can attest to the digital divide (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006) of one urban school.
I am not a sage who is able to see far into the future, but I know that the conventional teaching strategies of yesterday will not be the same tomorrow. As a tool, computers, the internet and social network sites have changed a lot of my thinking about how to get students ready for a future where ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) will be at the forefront.
Looking at the world of blogs and how they can encourage the teaching of writing in a high school classroom is my early-focus of this semester. Because of this, I wish to highlight several points made in Chapter 26: A Global Perspective on Political Definitions of E-Learning: Commonalities and Differences in National Educational Technology Strategy Discourses (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006).
#1- Zhao & Conway (2001) identified technology, teachers, students, and educational goals as the four defining elements of e-learning. How these four elements are seen through policy represent how e-learning might be viewed presently.
#2-Zhao & Conway (2001) brought from cognitive science and educational psychology that there are three images of student learning through e-learning policy: passive responder, active solo inquirer and active social inquirer. All three of these images can be found in online-blogs.
#3-With today’s global village, “the competition of economy among countries is more and more a competition of knowledge and technology is viewed as a powerful tool in improving the country’s competency in a global economy” (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006). Blogs joins the global village.
#4-Our national success relies on how able students are with acquiring skills and intelligence necessary for work and citizenship.(U.S. Department of Education, 1996). Blogs provide real-world audiences.
#5-“Can schools afford the investment? The real question is, can they afford not to make this investment?”(U.S. Department of Education, 1996). Schools have stipulations against blog website, but most students use blogs from home. Perhaps safe “blog spaces” are needed for schools to use where non-threatening posts can be guaranteed.
#6- There are inequities in the access to educational resources. (Sayers, 1996). All one needs to do is visit local schools in the city and in the suburbs.
#7-“The main goal for integrating technology in schools is to improve the performance of school children and thus enhance the country’s competency in a global economy. This view ignores the development of human beings and how the use of technology influences the overall development of students” (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006).
#8-e-learning policy and plans have a utopian tone and are extremely optimistic (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006). In the words of Brendan Kennally, “I love/to believe/in hope.”
#9- implementing new technologies in schools takes a long time (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006). There needs to be applause, however with how quickly American schools have accomplished a lot of good technological work. I’d argue that there was a lack in my experience, however, with professional development in technology. I am mostly self-taught.
#10-About one/third of e-learning policy does not provide a discussion about how students learn (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006). The internet has much available, however, for how students learn. The world is at their fingertips. They need to be taught how to navigate this, however.
#11- Policies assume that students are already active, quick and competent learners. (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006). In many instances, students are more capable than their teachers with technology. This needs to be noted, too.
#12-Teachers become Luddites or enthusiastic embracers (Conway & Zhao, 2003a). Embracing technology is the answer in my opinion.
#13-Technological optimism is frighteningly similar amongst international policies and seems to unite cultures rather than recognize the individual cultures of each nation with unique needs. (Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F, 2006). Perhaps in the end we’ll finally learn there is only one race: the human race.
This text was wonderfully informative and written. It is needed in 2007.
Conway, P.F. & Zhao, Y (2003a). From ludittes to gatekeepers to designers: images of teachers in political documents. In: Zhao, Y (Ed.) What Teachers Should Know About Technology? Perspectives and Practices. Greenwich, CT: Information
Age Press
Sayers, D. (1995). Educational Equity In An Information Age. Teachers College Record
U.S Department of Education. (1996). Getting America’s Students Ready for the 21st Century: Meeting the Technology Literacy Challenge.
Zhao, Y., Lei, J. & Conway, P.F,. (2006). A global perspective on political definitions of E-learning: Commonalities and differences in national educational technology strategy discourses. In The International Handbook of Virtual Learning
Environments, 673 -697. Springer, Printed in the Netherlands.
Zhao, Y & Conway, P.F. (2001). What’s in, what’s out?: an analysis of state technology plans. Teachers College Record. Available online at: http://www.tcrecord.org/content.asp?ContentID=10717.
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