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It's the old allegory of the cave.
Last Friday I was leaving the school and I popped into my VP's office. Among other things, Anthony and I often talk about technology in the classroom. One thing led to another and I showed him the YouTube video that was the subject of my last post: iPhone tutorial from a two-year-old. It was shortly after this, while I was saying something, that Anthony interrupted me:
"You can't go back now, can you?"
"What?"
"You could never be able to go back to teaching without technology, could you?
"No."
Driving home after our conversation it occurred to me what a transformation my teaching has gone through in the past couple years. Could I go back to a classroom and teach void of blogs, wikis, & online networks? Well, of course I could, but I just wouldn't want to!
Not only do I never want to go back, but I have become an evangelist.
However I've noticed a bit of a backlash among teachers. Comments like "We can do that without technology" miss the point about what students have the potential to do. "Every time I get them in the computer room all they do is Facebook" recognizes that technology is a tool, not an answer, but comments such as these are used as excuses rather than challenges.
In the past few weeks I've heard more than one teacher say, "What is Facebook", and "What is a wiki?". This I can handle. But then I hear about how technology is evil; about what a distraction it is. Well here is a little news flash... IT ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE!
There are times I just want to put my head down, improve what I am doing as a teacher, and forget that there is 'work to be done'. I can't. Not only can't I return to life in Plato's cave, but I am also compelled to 'share the true light'. I now realize that at times I am destined to be seen as 'blinded', such will be the lot in life for many of us.
Can you go back now?
Keywords: allegory of the cave, datruss, David Truss, Facebook, Food for Thought, iPhone, leadership, Liz Davis, Pair-a-Dimes, Plato, reflection, teaching, technology, YouTube
Comments
Hi Dave,
your post is very inspiring, and for me in many dimensions. In the first glance it seems to be the expression of sceptical view of all ongoing developement. The sort of scepticism we may all know. (Won't Work, etc.) But this vibes in me in sustainability. It seems to me now that this should be a good point growing and going in concrete. Yes - i also would answer, that i couldn't go back teaching my university students being creatively - expressive... poetaster's group host. Getting organized - ... And its is the effect of the new technology as an crystallisation point of all those affords and their solutions. But - and this has been deeply grown for me now: There is a lot of work to transport our learning experiences - observations - effects - because they are complex to observe and more than than complex to transport - especially to those who want to access it theoretically.
Mabe - and this would be my answer: "I cannot go back - because I've seen the glance in the eyes of the students. I cannot go back, because they have implemented my toplevel aim: They changed the verbing from :"I am podcaster at University-Koblence" to "I have to do something for my podcast") This are the points you cannot explain to somebody who hasn't got infected
.
Best greetings from the icy-cold Germany - and foive the typos - my english @ school has been a long time ago ;-)
Andreas Auwärter
Kelly,
Constructivist indeed! That's the challenge for those looking from the outside trying to understand.
Andreas,
Thank you for looking beyond your first glance, and seeing beyond an expression of the sceptical view. My intent was NOT to say, "Oh no, I can't go back!", but rather to identify that what lies ahead is much too exciting to go back again... and I can tell that you saw that!
The transformation that you see in your students is an excellent example of why so many of us are, as you say, 'infected' - (a brilliant choice of words that only arises from a second language speaker:-)
Your students are fortunate to have you guide them. I am sorry that I do not speak German and the English translation of your Podcasting for Learning does not do justice to your writing, as your comment demonstrates.
Thank you both for your comments!
Dave.
David,
I love this post! I can't go back and I don't think kids can go back either--and we all need to remember that.
It is discouraging sometimes to feel like the one shouting in the wilderness. I'm eager for the day when many of the research studies going on will show the value of what we know/feel to be true!
Thanks for the post!