Banishing Disillusionment
Since college days, when I get depressed and don't know the reason why, I'm terrible to be around. Looking back over the last zillion blog entries, I can tell that it has had its effect in my writing. But, better to write that here than somewhere else (e.g. work). Today, the feeling that has been growing in me finally subjected itself for close scrutiny--Disillusionment. While I'm still banishing the feelings of disillusionment, I'm left with a void. I've made it to the top of the heap, so to speak, but now have to ask, what am i looking for? Like Tom Fulghum, maybe it's time to start back down the mountain and focus on the simple things.
WHY DISILLUSIONMENT?
Sitting in my office planning new projects with a team member, I realized why I'm so disillusioned with Ed-Tech efforts. My "saddle-partner" from many years--we began the journey in Ed-Tech at roughly the same time--reached the same conclusions I had. It's time for the vision of Ed-Tech to die and give rise to something else. The problem is, we're not sure what that vision will be. Tom Hoffman's post had something to do with helping me understand this...as a last recourse, ramming Ed-Tech down people's throats is all that is left. It's all that is left to the tired and disillusioned who have been advocating ed-tech for the last 20 or more years. Tom writes:
Apparently Don Knezek, the CEO of ISTE, and Doug Johnson apparently think it would be a cool idea to add technology and "information" literacy requirements to NCLB...those computers you bought for testing and test prep won't be used for anything else, because if they stop working, you could all lose your jobs.
The truth is, ramming tech integration down people's throats is repugnant. But, for the long-timers--and I qualify--it's all that's left. No surprise that Don and Doug are advocating for this. The phrase "technology integration" has gone down the drain over the last few years. It's a meaningless phrase. Yet, back in 1996, it was powerful. I know because one of my published articles described what it all might look like:
...experienced, campus-level teachers who have learned how to bind technology curriculum objectives must train less experienced teachers. When this happens, teachers must assume ownership. This ownership results in teachers using technology to change the way they teach and,ultimately, how students learn. Instead of focusing on simple math skills, students focus on comprehending and communicating the Pythagorean Theorem using hypermedia tools.
The promise of powerful technology integration always rested in the hands of well-trained teachers. "The power," as Captain Planet would say, "is your's." But, this was a lie. It was a lie I swallowed hook, line and sinker because I WANTED to believe. I wanted to believe that teachers, if provided professional development, would realize the power of tech integration in their classrooms. But, this wasn't to be. There was always some excuse...hardware is here, but no software. We've got the software, but the hardware is too old to run it. The hardware and software are here, but we don't have time to attend staff development. It's drive-by staff development...we need something else.
The truth is, we focused on all the wrong things. We should have been
focusing on Information Literacy--and for some time, we did pushing the Big6--and problem-based learning. But those initiatives never seemed to catch on. There were always one or two folks who seemed to get it, but the effort was too much for the rest.
I read once that to pick up new things, you have to let go of the old. So, friends, help me let go of Educational Technology and grab onto the new...whatever that may be. It means banishing dillusionment, false visions, and reaching out to each other for the only true thing we have in education--the power to communicate, collaborate, and construct a new reality.
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