58 Responses to “Teachers & Technology — a rant!”

1. Andrew Chlup
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 3:01 pm

   I can appreciate your rant because we’ve all felt similar things. Two things you said really struck home with me.

   I think that they are ready for clear images and stories about 21st century classrooms and what teachers and students should be doing to better prepare a generation of new century citizens.

   1. We need to provide reluctant educators more concrete models of what Education 2.0 is in practical application. We need to overcome all of the “what ifs” and show teachers that their fears have been addressed in a variety of ways.

   Teachers are special. They are smart, resourceful, incredibly accomplished, and they work miracles — they make a difference.

   2. While all of these things are true, you forgot that teachers are also professionals. What other profession is allowed to remain ignorant of technological advances in their field?

   Would you accept a doctor who refused to use modern medical technologies just because it did not “feel” right. No way!

   You would expect the doctor to understand when new technologies should be used and when traditional methods are better. You would expect the doctor to at least understand the options.

   This is what the expectation should be for educators. Know the pro and cons for both using new technologies and not using new technologies. Understand why and when you might use something new.

   The desire to learn new things is at the heart of every good teacher. If we give teachers frameworks and programs build an understanding of new technology then I think they will use it.

   [Reply]

2. Rich Magee
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 3:36 pm

   Your next-to-last paragraph regarding someone who didn’t want to learn one new thing really struck me (and so did Andrew’s comment). We’d laugh at any teacher who decided that he would ignore any president after, say, Gerald Ford, pretending that we remained back in 1975! I’m reminded of my Uncle Duane, whose tie collection ceased to grow sometime around that same period in the mid 70′s. However, his fashion statement didn’t really affect anyone except for himself; a teacher’s unwillingness to continue to learn most definintely DOES extend beyond to that teacher’s students.

   I agree with your question: “Who more than teachers should be willing and eager to learn new things?”

   [Reply]

3. Wendy DG
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 4:37 pm

   I couldn’t agree with you more. One more point…Yes, children are born into a world with more technology than when we arrived. However, they are not born knowing how to use technology and use it responsibly. Teachers need to take the reigns and do what they do best…learn and TEACH.

   [Reply]

4. diane
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 4:59 pm

   Am I the only teacher who reads this blog?

   I spent all summer trying to educate myself about technology tools that might enhance my curriculum. This was done on my own time; I will get no stipend or even PD credit from my district.

   Although my administrators say they appreciate my efforts and have agreed to let me try blogs, wikis, etc. in my new Current Events class, there is no guarantee that our network will be able to consistently support 21st century technologies; I know that will have to get our IT to unblock flickr and many other useful sites. I’ve already been told that streaming will be slow or non-existent.

   Until there is a national requirement for a minimum level of technology access for all students, teachers, even those who WANT to embed 21st century tools and teach their students to be information literate, will remain hostile and/or frustrated.

   [Reply]

5. Kimberly
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 5:15 pm

   My problem is not the classroom teachers. I have some very enthusiastic co-workers, and the others are recognizing that technology is a tool not another program.

   Just last week, my 2 most technophobic teachers tried something new – on their own. They both encountered glitches, but didn’t panic. They simply asked for help. The fixes were simple, and then the teachers went on with their projects.

   My campus level administrators are also great. I showed them Blogmeister – and we get to blog this year. I took a district class in podcasting – and we get to podcast this year.

   My problem is the 2nd or 3rd from the top tech people. They block everything – I was in total shock that Blogmeister came through the filter, I thought the word blog would cause it to be blocked. Blogs, Wiki’s are blocked left and right. Google Docs was blocked, which drove the facilitators of a district workshop up the wall. We were supposed to collaborate with several other groups in El Paso, Dallas, New York. We couldn’t, because they refused to unblock the site.

   I hoping our Superintendent does his campus visits again this year. I would really like to speak to him about the roadblocks some tech administrators are putting up. He has been very responsive about things in the past, so hopefully we can get over these roadblocks.

   [Reply]

6. Owen Bradley
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 5:19 pm

   How can teachers NOT feel fearful given that most of our school districts are speaking out of both sides of their mouths?

   Innovate! Use technology! BUT- only use the technology that is approved by the district. You mustn’t use open source software- only use the stuff that the district has purchased…nevermind that your laptop is a glorified paperweight because you can’t install any applications or even change your settings.

   I am trying to integrate technology in my classroom, but am blocked at every turn by firewalls, proxies, filters, and permissions. When I ask for help, the response is that they are woefully understaffed (they really are- one tech person to about 50 teachers).

   You can’t have it both ways! Either let us try to integrate as we understand the tools and get out of the way- or provide adequate resources and time to learn the “approved” tools.

   The standard answer is “legal issues”. We had better quickly determine how we are going to deal with the flattening of information access and sharing or become so paranoid that we will invite litigation that we are paralyzed from moving forward down the path we know we must travel.

   [Reply]

7. Ann
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 5:41 pm

   What a fabulous blog comment and responses. Great questions and points.
   I too feel the frustrations when seeing teachers who won’t learn about what their kids need. The person who made the comment about the doctor is right on. Frank McCord said, “Those who are not learning, are not teaching”.
   The problem I feel is the system. The demands on the classroom teacher are overwhelming. More and more initiatives are put on the plate and nothing is taken off. It’s the system that needs to change.Teachers need to be provided time to learn, not sub days where you spend double the time to et plans ready and then more time to recap what ahppenend when the sub was there. It then should NOT be an opetion. Also, teachers need to have the hardware in working order available to them personally and to their students.
   It is a huge dilema…. perhaps a perfect storm.
   Do other countries have better working models?

   Big dreams, I guess.

   [Reply]

8. John Kain
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 5:53 pm

   Kimberly and Owen, you highlight a major issue that frustrates many tech-savvy teachers. My experience as a teacher and educational technology specialist is that district IT departments:
   1. Are woefully understaffed,
   2. Are staffed by people who have no training or background in education, and
   2. Report to the assistant superintendent for business, who is focused on making and saving money for the district. That focus filters down to the IT department.

   [Reply]

   Dave reply on September 4th, 2007:

   “2. Are staffed by people who have no training or background in education”

   I find this comment interesting. In my experience, you want people in admin and support positions who have backgrounds in their actual job function and have been shown how an education environment differs from a corporate environment. I want my district’s tech support to help me get the problem fixed much more than I want them to know what it’s like to write a year of lesson plans.

   That said, a truly professional professional will take strides to do their job well, even if it means seeking out resources and experience themselves…maybe that’s what’s actually missing.

   [Reply]

9. Sue Waters
   September 3rd, 2007 @ 5:56 pm

   Yesterday I was asked to give a presentation, on elearning leadership, to a team of teachers who have been chosen to encourage and inspire the uptake of technology and elearning in their school. Being a TAFE lecturer, I decided it would be best in terms of “Tips for how do we get educators to buy into elearning” if I got other teachers to give me tips to pass onto the teachers (theory was “like relates better to like”).

   Darren Draper was nice enough to create a really funny video for my presentation, and in it he spoke about how he talked with you at the NECC conference for advice on that exact topic. He said your advice was “I don’t have to sell it that much, I just show them the power of the tools. When a teacher sees how incredibly powerful the Internet is and elearning, and web 2.0, and how easy it is to use, or can be to use, basically it sells itself.”

   Unfortunately the teachers that I gave the presentation for, weren’t necessarily themselves, ready to engage the use of technology. Reflecting back, mmmmm, so my question is when you are in this situation, you obviously show the teachers the tools – which tools do you focus on, and what words do you use when showing the tools to make them actually want to spend the time.

   Darren’s video, if you want to check it out, which is so incredibly funny, is located on my post How Do We Get Others To BUY IN? To Make Them Go The Extra Miles With E-learning?

   Sue

   [Reply]

10. Mark Ahlness
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 6:03 pm

    (I left this over on techLearning, but this is where the action is – am happy to see some other teachers weighing in…)

    Neither you nor Jeff mention the two fears that I see crippling teachers way more than any fear of the new or unknown:

    1) the fear of tech administrators to even look at web 2.0. Maybe you guys run across enlightened, progressive tech administrators everywhere you go, I don’t know. From where I sit, the fear of those in charge of technologies (fear of empowering teachers, fear of the unknown, fear of public scrutiny, etc.) – essentially stops the process of getting new technologies and the requisite knowledge to use them into the hands of teachers.

    2) For those teachers who are out there pushing new technologies, there is clearly the fear of losing their jobs. I’ve seen it happen, and I do think about it – every day.

    There ya go Dave – one good rant deserves another :) – Mark, a teacher

    [Reply]

    Jeff Utecht reply on September 4th, 2007:

    Mark,

    1) I am the tech administrator..I am pushing teachers to use these new tools and pulling administrators at the same time. I think there are more out there, they just let #2 get in there way.

    2) If I loose my job it’s for pushing what’s right for kids. I’ll take that challenge!

    [Reply]

11. audrey
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 6:26 pm

    Oh please. Teachers are not revered, nor is the world going to collapse because some 8th grade teacher in Peoria doesn’t want to blog or podcast with her students.

    Why chafe at the realities of human nature. Some will resist. Some will jump at the chance. And in one generation it will be a non-issue anyway. If that doesn’t do it for you, and you really want to see it happen sooner, look back to human nature.

    Teachers are not motivated by piety, pressure or naivete. Tell them that they should do it for the children and they will despise you for your piety. Harangue them and tell them that they must do it and they will lumber along slowly to your pressure. Tell them that they should love to learn and to play and they merely snicker. We’re all really excited by our own ideas, rarely about someone else’s. This is your idea of play, your vision for the classroom, your idea of what must be done. To make something of it, it has to be their idea.

    If you really want to make them move? Give them real reasons to buy in… because none of the above are moving anyone off of the position that they already gave at the office, especially when they already did.

    In my district, the teachers who used technology the most were the first to get smartboards. The principal didn’t say you better do this or you wont get that (because that shuts down the whole game, as coercion usually does). He did say that it was for the children, but the teachers pretty much napped through that part. Instead, he simply said, the people who use technology the most will get smartboards first and help teach the rest of us how to use it. Eventually, I’d like us all to have smartboards, but that’s down the road a piece. And, he was as good as his word. Those of us who always use tech were in the first wave of smartboards and we had them a year and a half before more came in. Suddenly, the phobes were chafing at the bit to get into the lab and do something that would put them in line for the new technology. We’re on our last wave of smartboards. They’re probably not as tech savvy as you would have them be, but when the five minutes from retirement crew comes into the lab to make video poems… I’d say some progress has been made

    [Reply]

12. Ric Murry
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 8:12 pm

    I do not worry about “fearful teachers.” I think it is the “fearful administrator,” “fearful superintendent,” and “fearful IT department” that are the problem. But I’ve been howling at this moon for over 2 years. My voice hurts. As Audrey said, in a generation this will correct itself. That will be too late for some, but face it…that is education no matter what century.

    [Reply]

13. John Woodring
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 8:19 pm

    My day as a Technology Integrationist is a constant battle as David Warlick said in his posting. Last year when it came time for teachers to turn in their technology portfolios, a few tried to find ways out of doing it. Others, tried to get other teachers to do their work for them, with some even passing the work off as their own. I was shocked at this behavior and left wondering if they accepted such behavior from their students. This is a school where my son also is a student.

    This year, the principal at my school is allowing teachers to post weekly lesson agendas on blogs I have set up through our school’s website. Things were working well until an assistant principal decided to email an outdated lesson plan template form. It caused confusion amongst teachers. Emails flooded my box asking why they should write out their lesson plans (and syllabus) when they could just attach the documents as a download. This was after I had explained that some downloads are not the best thing due to fear of viruses from attachments and my setting up RSS feeds for the blogs. They don’t understand the end user.

    The final thing that gets me is the “I can’t get the computer lab so I can’t use technology” argument. I offer many plans to use the one to two computers in their computers in their rooms and still accomplish learning objectives. It usually means kids who have computers at home do the assignment at home and those who don’t rotate using the computers in the classroom. The response to my suggestion is, “Most of my students don’t have computers with the Internet at home so it can’t be done.”

    There are other frustrations trying to do my job but I carry on, one teacher at time. Also, most teachers are willing to try some of the things I suggest.

    [Reply]

14. David Robb
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 10:03 pm

    I think Ann is on target here. Fear is part of the issue but the bigger issue, I feel, is time.

    Teachers have so much on their plate and more is being piled on. To truly learn how to integrate a tool, like a blog, into a classroom, teachers need some level of expertise. To gain that expertise a teacher should start reading blogs, commenting, and probably start their own blog. This is a long term commitment and many teachers, through no fault of their own, don’t have the time to do this.

    So, if we can get rid of the fear can we provide the time?

    [Reply]

15. audrey
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 10:09 pm

    Perhaps a teacher shouldn’t be willing to teach an entire class in a one or two computer classroom where some kids rotate onto the computer and other kids do the work at home? If a district isn’t going to put the infrastructure in place then their commitment is the problem and it may be better NOT to help them to justify the lack of resources? At one point… in my district there was some complaint about teachers not using email and making websites for their classes. But most teachers didn’t even have a computer in their classrooms. They were supposed to go use computers in the library. The teachers refused. (I actually did it at home anyway because I have a particular interest in technology, but I was with them on it philsophically) They said quite directly that without the resources the objective could not be met. Those computers showed up. I think holding administrations responsible (both district and governmental) for the goals of their rhetoric is a better way than smiling bravely and effectively reducing pressure on admin to articulatewa reasonable expectations supported with resources that make it possible

    [Reply]

16. Andrew Chlup
    September 3rd, 2007 @ 11:28 pm

    If a district isn’t going to put the infrastructure in place then their commitment is the problem…

    audrey makes a great point about unfunded mandates. Often times technology in schools is not very planned, implemented, or supported. That being said, I have found that it usually the grassroots, teacher level actions, that actually bring about meaningful change to instruction in the classroom.

    I think this really breaks down to this:

    First, is the just a “What comes first? The chicken or the egg?” exercise?

    We’ve got lots of blame here between lazy teachers, short-sighted administrators, and malicious IT directors, but were do we begin?

    Do we need to provide more support to those teachers that are doing it right? or focus on schools? districts? states? What scale should shot for to create change? Where should we concentrate our efforts at reform?

    Next is technology is becoming such a huge part of education, so is time to define the needs of educational IT into a more coherent idea/map?

    In my district, our IT director answers to the Superintendent, not the business office. This certainly gives us a flexibility I have yet to see duplicated.

    I guess it just comes back to finding solutions. I see lots of causes, but what can be done? It looks like a good place to start is addressing and defining the IT needs of a educator.

    [Reply]

17. Justin Ashworth
    September 4th, 2007 @ 12:13 am

    “..someone told me they didn’t want to learn one more new thing, they didn’t like new things..“ I would want to ask, “You call yourself a teacher?” Who more than teachers should be willing and eager to learn new things?

    Boom! Hit the nail on the head.

    ~Justin

    [Reply]

18. Nancy White
    September 4th, 2007 @ 12:50 am

    Its true – superintendents, IT departments, and the public as a whole are very squeamish about Web 2.0 technologies – perhaps because they just don’t understand the possiblities – or they understand too much about the possiblities. They also don’t seem to understand the neccessity of teaching our students to use these tools safely and ethically – and purposefully in an educational setting. Kids will continue to use them -with our without us. Blogs, wikis & social networking sites are all blocked in my district too – but we won a small victory. The district is now allowing these tools to be opened up to staff. Baby steps. I intend to work like crazy to find the “early adopters” in my district to start using these tools – and help develop and spread a vision of how to integrate them into meaningful instruction. The key is always to start with the willing – and the able. Put the emphasis on good teaching – then show how these tools can support that teaching, and can provide an environment for critical thinking and the development of 21st century skills.

    [Reply]

19. 2¢ Worth » Continuing to Find Ways to Relax
    September 4th, 2007 @ 5:22 am

    [...] Yesterday’s post (rant), Teachers & Technology, reminded me of a desire I’ve had for a long time to integrate threaded comments into my blog.  The rather rambling article attracted 18 comments, some responding directly to the original article, and others responding to the comments of other readers. [...]

20. Alvin’s Educational Technology Blog » Teacher Coddling?
    September 4th, 2007 @ 7:21 am

    [...] David Warlick has a post concerning the way teachers are treated in regards to technology.  Many teachers are simply given a pass when it comes to learning new technologies.  We have all seen this happen.  [...]

21. Gary Stager
    September 4th, 2007 @ 9:43 am

    It’s 6:30 AM now and despite writing all night, I sure hope someone will read my contribution to this discussion at http://www.stager.org/blog/2007/09/why-teachers-dont-use-web-20-historical.html

    [Reply]

22. Mr. Bass » Blog Archive » Good Enough…
    September 4th, 2007 @ 1:30 pm

    [...] Over the last week, a common theme has emerged in some of my readings and the podcasts I’ve listened to.  It started last week when I read a post by David Warlick entitled, Teachers and Technology — A Rant on his 2 cents worth blog.  The most recent event that brought my attention to this theme was this morning when I was listening to Buzz Out Loud, a podcast published by CNET. [...]

23. Daily Bookmarks 09/04/2007 « Experiencing E-Learning
    September 4th, 2007 @ 10:38 pm

    [...] through Instructional Design and E-Learning « Does Ning Crash Your Browser? Daily Bookmarks 09/04/2007 September 4th, 2007 2¢ Worth » Teachers & Technology — arant!  Annotated [...]

24. Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech » Blog Archive » Follow the bouncy conversation
    September 4th, 2007 @ 11:31 pm

    [...] David Warlick chimes in [...]

25. 2¢ Worth » Web 2 is Like Logo?
    September 5th, 2007 @ 8:55 am

    [...] It astounds me what can result from a “rant.”  I came so very close to not posting that article (Teachers & Technology — a Rant), because I didn’t think there was enough value in it.  Just me, spouting off.  It is a tribute to the power of casual, colleagial, net/RSS-based conversation, when 27 thoughtful comments are posted to that article, including the ever present Gary Stager (this guy sure reads and writes a lot).  Gary provides an interesting comparison between the implimentation of Web 2.0 applications and Logo — a quite useful comparison indeed.  It probably isn’t important that neither Jeff Utech (whose blog I was responding to) nor I ever mentioned Web 2.0.  In fact the big “2.0″ didn’t appear in my blog until Sue Waters included it in a list of topics she was presenting to her teachers. [...]

26. Dave Solon
    September 5th, 2007 @ 10:38 am

    Would you accept a doctor who refused to use modern medical technologies just because it did not “feel” right. No way!

    Andrew – I’m loading this comment into my arsenal. Thanks!

    -Dave

    [Reply]

27. Stephen Becker, Ph.D.
    September 5th, 2007 @ 3:58 pm

    This is a wonderful thread. Thanks, everyone.

    Recently I’ve been working with a progressive school that is adopting school-wide the educational social networking tool and online LMS/Personal Learning Environment known as EctoLearning.

    Despite being a very progressive school and despite Ecto being designed for ease of use, not all of the teachers were equally jazzed about diving in. Many were frothing with enthusiasm but why the hesitation on the part of some?

    My impression was that the hesitation on the part of some teachers had to do less with fear and more to do with bandwidth. As Ann more eloquently pointed out, teachers have a tremendous amount on their plates. They need * time * to learn and explore the tools available to them.

    To this end, one of the schools adopting Ecto held a training session before the semester commenced. They also used EctoLearning to create their own help group—this enables them to share ideas and offer assistance to one another within the Ecto environment itself.

    John also raised a great point about IT resources. Luckily with regard to schools or individual teachers adopting EctoLearning, IT resources have been almost a non-issue. The school I mentioned earlier has very limited IT resources but one thing they like about EctoLearning is that it’s a hosted solution (SaaS), ‘software as a service’—so there isn’t anything for them to install or maintain.

    I’ve mentioned the following link before but wanted to include it again for anyone who is new and might be curious about EctoLearning. It’s a brief video that the company made to explain EctoLearning. It includes interviews with teachers, administrators, and students ranging from the elementary school level to college.

    http://www.ectolearning.com/ecto2/Blog.aspx?p=100

    [Reply]

28. It’s not about Web 2.0 it’s about learning! at The Thinking Stick
    September 6th, 2007 @ 7:39 am

    [...] 1. Fear Factor2. Teachers & Technology – a rant!3. Why teachers Don’t Use Web 2.0 – an historical perspective4. Why teachers Use Web 2.05. Stager, Logo and Web 2.06. Web 2 is Like Logo? [...]

29. Il Web 2.0 nella scuola non è l’e-learning 2.0 at Anto’stuff
    September 6th, 2007 @ 2:16 pm

    [...] Riporto una frase che mi sembra piuttosto esplicativa del Downes-pensiero, tratta da un altro post, molto più articolato del primo, e inserito in una stimolante discussione già esistente: “Schools were designed for a particular purpose, one that is almost diametrically at odds with what ought to be the practices and objectives of a contemporary education, an education suited not only to the information age but also to the objectives of personal freedom and empowerment.” [...]

30. Tyler Fonda
    September 6th, 2007 @ 2:27 pm

    I must say that I really liked Audrey’s comment. While David’s rant is a welcome call for action, those actions must be founded in the reality of how we as humans adopt change.

    As Audrey says:
    Teachers are not motivated by piety, pressure or naivete…If you really want to make them move? Give them real reasons to buy in…

    There is a massive demographic happening in teaching over the next 7 years which creates an opportunity to integrate new tools into the classroom, but it must be accompanied by sound reasoning and a clear path to benefit.

    As a 28 year old and friend to many of the next generation of teachers, I can assure you that they will not change their behavior based on proclamations of war and battle that have been expressed in some of these comments. They will however be open to adopting a progressive framework for adding tools that benefit teachers and the classroom.

    [Reply]

31. Tyler Fonda
    September 6th, 2007 @ 2:28 pm

    Missed a word
    “…a massive demographic shift happening…”

    [Reply]

32. » Missing an intersection in time and space The Polliwog Journal
    September 6th, 2007 @ 6:20 pm

    [...] I missed David Warlick’s post called Technology & Teachers, a Rant but it compares to what I wrote for the Paying Attention? video. [...]

33. The Buzz: Current Trends and Issues in Instructional Technology
    September 6th, 2007 @ 11:50 pm

    [...] Just as others of us, the Learning Visions author has linked some incredible authors. One of note today is Experiencing e-Learning written by Christy Tucker. Christy includes many interesting bits of information in her posts, some of them are very informational others a bit of a rant. One particular post that caught my eye today that was actually a book mark for a blog titled 2¢ Worth: Teaching & Learning in the new information landscape…, Teachers and Technology A Rant. The 2¢ author writes about the fear of those in the education world to integrate technology into their routine. I used to be a firm believer in this, that many teachers are stuck in their ways and don’t want to add to an already complicated career, that is until today. [...]

34. Stop Talking About the Tools! « In Another Place
    September 7th, 2007 @ 9:28 am

    [...] 7th, 2007 · No Comments Tim over at Assorted Stuff directed me to the debate about how to deal with the ongoing issuesrelated to teachers using technology. It started with Jeff Utrecht at TechLearning blogging about teachers’ fears in using technology. Then, David Warlick jumped in with something of a rant about being tired of hearing about teachers not wanting to learn and not seeing the power of technology to transform teaching and learning. The comments ranged from absolute agreement to finger pointing at others in the system like administrators and IT directors to lamenting all the old barriers like poor infrastructure and lack of time. [...]

35. neo.phyt.us » Common threads
    September 9th, 2007 @ 9:43 pm

    [...] I was just having a conversation with my tech partner at school on Friday and then I found a similar thread bouncing around my RSS. Jeff Utecht started it off with Fear Factor, and David Warlick’s rant really hit home with me. [...]

36. David Carpenter
    September 10th, 2007 @ 7:13 pm

    I am going to focus on your question about what the new NETS will look like in the classroom. If we as technology and information literacy leaders look at the next big thing, it is collaborating with our teachers to design instruction and curriculum to have our students reach these new standards. Our community needs to find the instructional strategies that our teachers are already using that do the job. We should find a way to share these best practices and to then share ideas in coming up with new ones that really work in the classroom. David, maybe you could add a wiki to your blog for this purpose. Sound reasonable?

    We will be discussing your question in one of the Learning 2.0 sessions in Shanghai this weekend as we look at the role of the Instructional Technologist as a leader for curriculum and instruction development in our schools.

    [Reply]

    Dave reply on September 11th, 2007:

    I’ve been thinking the very same thing, that we need a site or a social network dedicated to building knowledge and technique for teaching creativity, innovation, communication, etc. and assessing it.

    I’m not sure I’m the one to do it. I’m not especially good at social networks. It might be something that ISTE should do, though.

    [Reply]

37. GEMS People Teaching & Learning » Blog Archive » RSS feeds
    September 17th, 2007 @ 7:30 am

    [...] I was thinking today after reading an article about apathy related to teachers learning new technology. I had a simple thought. What could I teach an educator in under five minuetes that would change their practice, improve their time-management, and make them smile. [...]

38. David Carpenter
    September 18th, 2007 @ 2:12 am

    Dave, we picked up on the new NETS at the Learning 2.0 conference. A few of us are working to connect with others who already are matching exemplars with the new standards so maybe a network is forming to discuss this important topic. We might get something going there but in the meantime I think the folks at ISTE probably are moving on this. You were missed in Shanghai. Many connections were made.

    [Reply]

39. » Teach a Man to Fish……..:) What can you do today to make a difference? MyZenBox Educational Technology
    September 20th, 2007 @ 3:55 am

    [...] I was thinking today after reading an article about apathy related to teachers learning new technology. I had a simple thought. What could I teach an educator in under five minuetes that would change their practice, improve their time-management, and make them smile. [...]

40. 2¢ Worth » Rants for a Rant!
    September 24th, 2007 @ 5:03 am

    [...] Earlier this month, I wrote a “rant” in 2¢ Worth that garnered a good deal of response.  The post, Teachers & Technology – a Rant!, came mostly from a blog article written here, by a Technology & Learning Blogger, but also from some of its comments and other posts that I had read that day.  It was a bit of a stress releasing vent.  It’s why I called it a rant.  And it’s part of what’s difficult about blogging, that you(I) see each article as a continuation, just one point along a spectrum of our knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, aspirations, and emotional condition. [...]

41. Teachers & Technology…David Warlick Starts A Great Discussion « Engaging Technologies: Our Blog
    September 26th, 2007 @ 10:59 am

    [...] Teachers & Technology…David Warlick Starts A Great Discussion September 26th, 2007 — Cathy I thought I would share a blog post by David Warlick on integrating technology that caught my eye this week. There are so many positions to view this rant (as he himself calls it) from, that it has sparked a most lively discussion. [...]

42. Teachers & technology: a rant by david warlick Teachers andamp technology a rant by david warlick | S-Lan
    September 27th, 2007 @ 1:15 pm

    [...] http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2007/09/03/teachers-technology-a-rant/ (Source: Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology) [...]

43. Constructivism and Web 2.0 : Ruby (on wheels)
    September 29th, 2007 @ 10:02 am

    [...] I’ve just been trying to catch up with blogs that I’ve not been browsing for a few weeks … and lots of interesting things are there but not enough time to contemplate all of them. So I’m making a note to myself here so that I can come back to this particular idea later. It’s been prompted by Steve Downes’ blog post about Stager, Logo and Web 2.0  and in it he refers to David Warlick’s blog (one of them 2c-worth) and his rant about education and web 2.0. I’m not sure about the sides of the argument here, but the most interesting bit for me was the discussion about the Moodle guys being explicit about using contructivism as the underlying philosophy in their development of the Moodle tool. I’m curious – if you state that you follow a particular philosophy is that the same as a critic being able to “spot” that philosophy? I’m curious because I’ve just asked students to consider some adverts for language learning courses, and to derive from the statements made what the underlying learning theories could be … and in our discussion I emphasise that this is, of course, conjecture … [...]

44. 为什么教师们不使用Web2.0 - 从历史的角度观察(上) | 益学会 > 教育中文翻译
    October 7th, 2007 @ 5:08 am

    [...] Jeff Utecht和David Warlick最近在哀叹教育者缺乏对教育技术的使用。Warlick和Utecht的批评是特指的：他们思考并谈论为什么那些他们喜爱的Web2.0工具不能吸引更多的同事，以及这些工具为何很少在课堂中被使用。两位作者兼教育者渴望一次教育革命，既便他们不得不为此而努力解释，这场革命在实践中将是什么样子。 [...]

45. Stager，Logo与Web2.0（上） | 益学会 > 教育中文翻译
    October 8th, 2007 @ 4:36 am

    [...] Gary Stager的批评主要针对David Warlick和其他鼓吹在学校里“革命性”使用Web2.0工具的人。我认为他的批判有效地反对了学校2.0（School 2.0）运动，我想这是因为学校2.0运动尚未吸取过去数10年学校改革的教训。 [...]

46. Web2.0会像Logo一样吗？ | 益学会 > 教育中文翻译
    October 10th, 2007 @ 4:09 am

    [...] 让我吃惊的是“咆哮一声”所能引起的反应。我差点没有发出那个帖子（指《教师与技术——咆哮一声！》），因为我不认为那里面有多少价值。我在那儿信口开河呢 。当27个富有见解的评论——包括曾经出现的Gary Stager（他一定读过并写过很多东西 ）——出现在那篇文章上时，我得感谢不经意的、同伴之间基于网络/RSS进行会话的力量。Gary 写了一篇关于Web2.0应用与Logo在应用上的有趣比较，这确实是相当有用的比较。Jeff Utech（我正在回复他的blog贴）和我都未曾提过Web2.0一词。实际上这大大的”2.0″出现在我的blog之中是从Sue Waters将它加入到列表中并展现给她的老师们的时候开始的。 重要的是那篇《为什么教师们不使用Web2.0——从历史的角度观察》中Gary列举进行对比的若干条。我同意他大多数的陈述，同时觉得大多数的陈述对于继续发展思考与开发课程相当的有用－－今天我们这样做，正处在一个不断增长中的…… [...]

47. sfjalar | Hvers vegna nýta kennarar ekki tæknina?
    October 10th, 2007 @ 2:57 pm

    [...] Fræðimaðurinn, kennarinn og bloggarinn David Warlick veltir fyrir sér ástæðum þess að kennarar virðast svo hikandi við að tileinka sér tækninýjungar í færslu sem hann nefnir “Teachers & Technology – a rant!”. [...]

48. Anne Marie Dominguez
    January 2nd, 2008 @ 4:22 pm

    I wish everyone on the technology bandwagon would cool the rants for a minute and pause for some critical thinking instead of spouting. I am not adverse to learning, I am curious and constantly search for new INFORMATION on the Internet for books I have taught for over 10 years. I love my teacher website and posting assignments, grades, messages, etc. HOWEVER, I do believe that there is a large assumption that all children of the “millenial” generation are savvy Internet users, bloggers, wiki-whatevers: in my experience they rely on the few routes suggested by peers or parents and if something comes up that hits somewhere on the radar they consider that a reliable, accurate success. I hardly call being able to throw together a collage of images and quips for a Facebook or MySpace page rocket science. They lack (and I say this with the most respect for my students and their limited life experience) patience, life-experience, knowledge and competent reading comprehension skills. Having my students work through an Internet search lesson, the majority of them were fooled into thinking that a spoof website was a legitimate source of information. Why? Because it “looked” official, had a lot of writing that they didn’t bother to read carefully, and the web design was appealing. I am not FEARFUL of technology but I am frustrated by being accused of being fearful or reluctant simply because I question the actual benefit of a technology-loaded classroom or curriculum. I for one believe that students see technology as a shortcut to learning to which there is none. There are shortcuts to finding information but not synthesizing, analyzing it, or evaluating it. I also have difficulty with the benefit of blogging particularly because most people without established writing professional writing credentials tend to do it under a name that is a flimsy identity which allows bloggers to be reckless and remain unaccountable for their comments or thoughts. The open Internet is not a kind, gentle, nuturing space. It is free and public but in reality the good, helpful, credible stuff costs. What is really worth our attention is studying the impact of screen time, texting, and emailing has on brain development. I am betting it is not a positive one. Some professionals espouse that if the brains are being formed differently then we need to teach to that. But what if the impact diminishes the capacity to think? Do we forego teach students how to think and view images and words beyond the surface? I get the feeling that technology is being pushed because it’s becoming a larger portion of the market of which I am reluctant to fashion the curriculum and learning of my students and my own children.

    [Reply]

49. Social Media in ELT reminds me of Don Quixote and his windmills « Social Media Citizenship and ELT
    January 27th, 2008 @ 1:34 pm

    [...] Teachers & Technology — a rant! | 2¢ Worth via kwout [...]

50. Doodee
    February 1st, 2008 @ 6:55 pm

    Thanks for sharing

    [Reply]

51. » 2 Cents Worth – Week Five Emma Brann
    October 5th, 2012 @ 4:18 am

    [...] are two questions that posed serious discussion on David Warlick’s blog, 2 Cents Worth. He leads into this particular blog by stating his frustration with teachers of today pushing [...]

52. Ben
    December 12th, 2012 @ 5:25 pm

    I witnessed a big push in the UK over the last 5-10 years to get VLE (virtual learning environments) into all schools. It was heavily resisted by teachers. But what with funding cuts these last year or so, its now not getting pushed so much and quietly disappearing off the radar.

    So are teachers fighting to retain the funding? Well no, not really. The reason, those luddite teachers actually got it right. VLEs are great for university sized institutions, but not so great for smaller schools where the economies of scale are different.

    [Reply]

53. Eda Nemeroff-Hanington
    January 23rd, 2013 @ 1:31 am

    As an educator and a person who used to despise technology I can understand the fear of new technology however I agree that the lack of teacher understanding of technology is appalling.

    Several years ago I married my husband who is a “techie” not in the rebuild computers way but in the I must find more ways to incorporate technology into my classroom way. He believes that all students should have access to as much technology as possible and that school need to stop worrying about computers replacing teachers but should embrace them. He says it is a responsibility of every educator to prepare not only a better student but a person ready to contribute to the community and the working world.

    I could not agree more not only having students understand how to use technology but to also use technology responsibly, with all of the aspects of cyber bullying and social networking sites it is our responsibilities as educators to not only be immersed in the technology but be able show students the way to use technology properly and to the best of their abilities. Anything less is irresponsible.

    [Reply]

54. Andrew Coyle
    April 21st, 2013 @ 12:44 pm

    Hello David,

    I recently launched KnoFolio, an art education and community platform for aspiring artists (http://knofolio.net/). There is already a growing community of active users. I would love to give you more material if you are interested.

    BTW I am a college senior at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

    Cheers!

    Andrew

    [Reply]

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