Waiting for the Helicopter

Have you ever watched Man VS Wild?

The premise of this Discovery Channel series is that Bear Grylls, a former British Special Forces member is helicoptered into a hostile, remote region. He parachutes out of the helicopter and armed only with his survival training and bare hands, he has to forage for food and water and find his way to the pick up area to be flown back to civilization. During the course of his trek in the Wild, he tells us stories about others who have successfully survived being stranded in this region and those who have not.

Take a look at my hero in action as he begins his journey, not unlike how I felt beginning mine...

When I considered the title for my blog in early July, my husband suggested Technojournies, a prescient foreshadowing of the huge trek that was before me. My immediate response was that I would be like Bear Grylls, hurling out of a helicopter into a hostile land with only my wits and limited experience. I was expecting to get beaten up by a rock face with no handholds, or get bitten by a snake! Well it was all true. As a total novice to Web 2.0 tools, my learning journey during these past six weeks has been grueling, hair-raising, and biting, but it also has never been dull.

In this final reflection I will outline selected highlights and lowlights of this course, as well as future possibilities for my continued learning and integration of these new tools into my teaching environment.

Highlights

Two sources provided me with opportunities to explore new vistas on the web: my own travels and research, along with my classmates’ findings and reflections. My examination of these sources will provide me with clues as to how to introduce Web 2.0 tools to my own teaching environment.

My Travels

My journey began with my first winter walk in the woods with my dogs and my rudimentary attempts to use my cell phone camera. The seeds for curiosity were planted during that walk. My subsequent travels led me into the fantasy world of Alice’s rabbit hole, back in time to consider the Brownie camera, Mesopotamia, the party line, and the Tupperware party, then into the future with ET and the crew of the USS Enterprise, to a modern day progressive supper and bus tour. These excursions led me to discover photo sharing, blogging, social bookmarking, virtual libraries, multimedia and mashups, wikis, and social networking. And like any good traveler, I have returned with artifacts. While some of these souvenirs will sit on my shelf, others have been assimilated into my personal and professional practice.

Even though I was at times a reluctant digital immigrant, by issuing my digital passport, this course has allowed me passage into the past, present, and future possibilities for engaging in Web tools. Without the itinerary of this course, I likely would have remained at home, in my La-Z-Boy, flipping through coffee table books of these strange and wonderful new worlds. And although at times I was in despair of finding my way across diverse geographies, I owe a debt of gratitude to Jenn for pulling us ever forward.

The main highlight of my journey has been an awareness of the necessity for teachers to make the effort to expand their technological professional development in order to guide students in using 21st Century skills. I had no idea of the extent to which the internet has changed not only what students access, but how they access. That the internet changes our very brain patterns was a remarkable learning. I was also astounded at the extent to which Gen F learners for example, are impacting the corporate world and now recognize how vastly different the values of these two worlds appear to be.

Gary Hammel’s Wall Street Journal article opened my eyes to this divide. I also witnessed a practical demonstration of the moblization of social networked voices during the Edmonton Airport debate, with Mac Male leading the charge of public opinion with his social networking cavalry.

Richardson is a convincing advocate of the need for teachers to do their job by engaging students with Web tools and I find his books and blogs building both a philosophical and a practical foundation for this vision. But novice teacher-users need to be convinced on many levels and Richardson is asking a lot of these transitional-use teachers. So I turned to other researchers and bloggers to round out the intellectual, social, and spiritual imperatives for pulling teachers ever towards enlightenment.

Of these I will return to Educause, a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. This research-based site provides clear descriptors of new tools and suggests implications for teaching and learning. Although this resource is addressing a post-secondary audience, it is a place where novice educator-learners would feel comfortable starting. For ongoing philosophical discussions of the implications of technology on teaching, I responded to the work of Konrad Glogowski whose thesis and blogs reflect his ongoing conversations with his blog readers at a level that is both practical and theoretical. Here is a taste:

I agree that this transformation we’re experiencing now isn’t just about learning to use the tools - it’s primarily about looking at how it promotes a more acoustic perception and what this massive shift means to our educational institutions.

I had to dig to find researchers who address the larger, human implications of the impact of technology on education. While Glogowski (Canadian!) doesn’t presume to have the answers, his ongoing questions are provocative and invite further reflection even as I timidly introduce my new learning to my own students.

Although I have “collected” 33 RSS feeds, the one I actually read through is media.awareness@media-awareness.ca. This is my window on what’s hot in the world for all the applications we have covered. This news source helps me to understand how technology is shaping the current harvesting, processing, and application of information.

Another highlight of my journey has been the unexpected joy at actually learning how to use the new tools. The only one I had any experience with before this course was Facebook. So while my learning was steep at times, it was highly reinforced by the actual results from these tools. Certainly part of this motivation was the cool factor, especially when I saw what my classmates were doing with their tools, but it was also this sense of accomplishment that somewhat ameliorated my fears of approaching new learning. At the beginning of this course, I didn’t have a sense of how integrated the Web tools have become. When I figured this out, I kept everything within the Google family, and found this to be less intimidating, as one sign-in allows everything to talk to everything else. And though I did not master these applications, I at least was able to explore them at a rudimentary level.

It was this process that is my best souvenir of this course. Jenn wisely encouraged us to explore these tools, rather than to mandate a standard of use, which for me, would have been deadly. So it was the process of playing with the tools that was a highlight for me. The flip side of this was to tag along on my classmates learning and to see the tools being used in their diverse environments that were both motivating and enlightening. I especially enjoyed setting up my class wiki and learning Voice Threads as I can see immediate applications in my OPPT and photography programs. Even if my initial participation is at a basic level, sometimes just understanding what is possible is enough. I also know from my past experiences in my photography class for example, that my students will bring each other further along as they bring their varying levels of mastery to the program. Indeed, I am counting on their peer teaching. This is a valuable lesson from my colleagues that I will bring to my own school.

My Colleagues

The second source of inspiration on my journey was my colleagues. Their diverse backgrounds, current educational environments, and levels of tech comfort were the foundation of this course. At first I was dismayed that I was the only high school outreach educator, but as I became engaged in our blogs and discussions it became clear how much richer the diversity of thinking and experiences made our collective experience. I knew virtually nothing about the role of the teacher-librarian for example, and was astounded at the depth of skill needed for this role in schools. To see the generosity of our classmates in sharing references, applications, and encouragement removed any sense of online isolation, as it was both socially and spiritually motivating. This sense of community is imperative for adult learners, and particularly to my learning when, for example, blog fatigue was feeling like a terminal illness. Also, there is only one of me and I am aware of how I get in a philosophical rut when I search and seek solutions that are congruent with my own paradigm. But with my colleagues alongside, I had eight other points of view or applications at my disposal. This reciprocal learning enhanced all of our experiences and will also need to be an essential component of my work with my students.

Jenn’s participation in the discussions and sharing of her own journey was particularily encouraging. Her participation in the role of fellow traveler as opposed to that of a detached authority provided me with a model for peer inquiry. Indeed the level of authentic learning was high and a necessary factor for my own learning, as I need to see and hear my colleagues’ struggles and triumphs in order for me to ascribe credibility to their reflections. I cannot overstate the importance of this honesty in sharing personal aspects of this journey. This always necessitates a risk and I appreciate participants’ willingness to reveal that vulnerability. This too is a lesson I shall take back to my students and colleagues.

I will highlight one colleague who brought me further along my own journey, Blustery Bandwagon.

Ruth took control of her blog and by applying it to her Saskatoon Project, she took ownership of her learning. This is also the foundation of my work with outreach students, as we mentor students from teacher-directed to student-directed learning. While the students in this course did take ownership and apply learning to their own situations, Ruth’s work resonated with me as I remember her aha! moment when she decided to alter her blog voice to suit an audience of her choosing. Our research overwhelmingly supports the importance of the personal narrative, as this is a marker in blog development.

I also appreciated how Ruth shared her treasures that she discovered along the way. Her posts about her discoveries conveyed an enthusiasm that was inspiring. It was also humorous to see her confront the limitations of the blogging comments tool (i.e.: the Harvard Conference) and Twitter (i.e.: does anyone understand this Twitter RT, RT, RT). She demonstrated both humility and risk-taking in sharing these incidents with us. From Ruth I have learned the power of connecting and taking a leadership role in reaching out beyond her teacher-librarian role. When she offers PD sessions, her attendees will find her very credible as she has lived and walked the path that she is promoting. I will do well to remember her example of leadership as I consider mentoring my own students.

From all my colleagues I have marveled at the wonder of your innovations on your blogs that went way beyond your “required” assignments. Who started the avatar widgets trend? Very cool and an application I could only admire (no time! stick to the program!) and my students would love these. We know that identity building is such a big part of social networking for students. Then Dan broke through the theory/ application wall and created a wiki about wikis for all us to view.

The rest of my own discussion group proved to be similarly provocative and personal, and was at times, more helpful than our blogs, which tended to be chubby research papers shoved into too tight “jeans”. It was in our discussions for example, where Debra shared her struggle of “… finding that group for me. Am I short-changing myself or making excuses here? I am not sure. “ Her writing spoke to my own one-of-a-kind isolation. Similarly Gerta shared her own uncertainty, but in the area at moving through the stages of complex blogging, and gave us the gift of Kent Newsome (2007) and his five stages of blogging. This too was a comfort. Tara’s account of personalizing her web presence was so methodical and funny, that her discussion posting #2 is user-ready for a presentation on this topic.

This is an incredibly useful collective body of work that we can pack up and take with us. What I am thankful to each of my colleagues for is that you presented your visions of applying these tools in very clear, concise, and yet personal ways that are immediately useable as resources for providing district or school professional development. Our collective blood, sweat, and tears, along our shared journey have purchased this knowledge. In other words, we can trust that it will resonate with our colleagues beyond this community.

Lowlights

The information overload and exhausting volume of work in learning to first use the tools, then writing about the process of the learning and then reflecting on applications of the tools and then again discussing issues of the tools, (phew!) has been well documented by many of us students. I feel some of these tools could have been grouped together as especially toward the end, it felt that we were merely reworking ground that had been covered in the areas applications or professional development.

But the biggest disappointment for me was a result of my research into the level of commitment for and actual use of Web 2.0 tools in professional education agencies in Alberta. I have mentioned in the Social Networking blog about the lack of read/write Web presence in Alberta Education, the Alberta Teachers’ Association, and Specialist Councils. I even subscribed to our Minister of Education, David Hancock ‘s Twitter to find it disappointingly dull.

I recognize that the superstar bloggers and their ed sites tend to be overwhelmingly American http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/ or Australian http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/search/view/august+2009

and I resent this. Why is it that the American ed innovators get so much press yet the American education system is in a state of devolution? Are they just better promoters than we are? I have always thought that Alberta has a very aggressive and progressive technology vision but am I wrong?

While my research time and again has stressed the efficacy of peer-tech mentoring, it also stresses the importance of leadership modeling to encourage educators’ use of the read/write Web. Our own district pays lip service to tech innovation but leadership is woefully inadequate in demonstrating a capability and commitment. It was only this year that an administrator wiki for example, was started, but admin is reluctant to contribute and it is seen as a flop.

Do we just have to wait out this generation of educators? Do we need to see more incentive from Alberta Education for teachers? The CTS programs for example, has offered $400 for every course teachers enroll in that will improve their capacity for teaching the new CTS curriculums. Should this be extended to all subjects? In my blogs and discussions I have often considered using AISI as a means for providing Web 2.0 applications and training. Perhaps we are just not being strategic enough about using the existing PD vehicles to further classroom teachers’ explorations of tools.

Future Plans

This final blog reflection is not unlike my own routine when I return from home from a journey. One of the first things I do is to download my photos, organizing them into albums and slide shows so they won’t get lost in my photo library. Then I decide whom to email photos to, which ones to post on Facebook and which ones to delete.

But the other thing I do as soon as I get home, is to plan my next trip. This takes the sting out of the journey being over, but it also serves to inspire me to set a new goal. This entails setting priorities and deciding which things on my plate will stay and what will have to go to make room for the new goal. So in addressing the what’s next part of this blog, I need to first make an assessment of the capacity I have in my life for the next Technojourney.

So How Do I Keep Learning?

For me it always begins with taking courses. I know my learning style demands a time boundary and the pressure of instructor and peers to keep me moving forward. I also know that I need to set long term goals. Even before starting this course I was already thinking ahead to my next step and I enrolled in the Robotics course at the U of A that starts today. But two weeks ago I had to cancel it as I could see that I would be finishing this course ragged, and would not have the energy and motivation to embark on yet another Man VS Wild adventure so soon. Also summer is almost past and in two short weeks I will be back at my desk.

Being bedraggled and tired is not a position from which one can effectively engage with at our September deluge of at-risk students! Therefore, I have asked the Robotics instructor to include me in his next offering of the course. Since Robotics is also a new CTS course, I will be able to eventually teach it, so there will be high motivation to learn and apply my new tech skills. So I will be able to keep my tech learning active by continuing to be a student.

In my role as PD rep I will ensure that Web 2.0 sessions are offered for our division, whereI will be in attendance as an advisor/participant. I will take what I have learned from my colleagues’ applications of the new tools as well as what I have learned about adult learning in our last blog to these PD workshops. I have also described in my last blog how I would develop my class Facebook and help a fellow teacher on staff with our school website. Again, my learning style demands that I make a commitment within a network or peer partnership, in order to keep applying my newly developed tech skills. Also by monitoring my existing RSS feeds and culling them and adding to them as my understanding evolves, I can keep current in Web 2.0 developments as applied to education.

I will also keep tabs on the Alberta School Library Council website and newsletters as they provide an excellent source of action research in the Alberta context. I would also like to look into attending their conference next year as this council seems to have the best handle on Web 2.0 and Alberta curriculum.

I also subscribe to Teach Magazine, as it is a very useful Canadian (!) publication that demonstrates new software and web applications for teachers. The Futurist editor Richard Worzel also writes provocative editorials about where this is all going. He is like a Richardson on LSD!

I will also keep the momentum going by joining and contributing to a proposed social studies wiki that our district online social studies teacher is trying to start up this fall. I have a feeling he is not getting a lot of response from his initial invitational emails this spring. I could offer my new blogging learning, particularily in referencing useful sites and RSS feeds. I would like to be able to contribute my new learning in making the existing online social studies courses more engaging for students. I believe I now have something to offer and will take the plunge to join this community.

Finally, I will continue conversations with select learned colleagues in my own division (I have previously mentioned my AB Ed tech friend coming back this September). I now have an inkling about the “how” of these tools, but I am also curious about the “who” we become with these tools. I want to continue this conversation: what do we gain and what do we give up as educators of students who have real physical and emotional needs at a time of their lives when everything around them seems to be in a constant state of shift. How does this shift impact us as educators and our relationships with our students?

So just learning the tool is not enough. We need to keep thinking about the consequences of our changing role as teachers, colleagues and people in our families and communities.

Waiting for the Helicopter

So I have indeed survived my Man VS Wild episode and am now at the designated pick-up site, waiting for the helicopter. While I am waiting, I am thinking about what is for me the most important question of all:

Who have I become because of this Technojourney?

While they have all bitterly complained about my absence from this summer’s fun, my family has a new respect for their techno-deficient mom’s demonstrated skills. My husband, who is an advanced tech guy in his own right, has read my blogs and admired some of the tools and ideas he has gleaned from them. He will be piloting a brand new English/Web 2.0 class at his school and has been engaging in this conversation with me all summer. So in some small way I will have impacted his class. An educator loves to teach, even if she never meets her students! Also, my daughter at UBC now sends me news feeds from her RSS favs and we have had great conversations from these. This has opened a new level of common ground for us at a time when adult children typically grow ever distance from their parents. My friend sends me computer cartoons from his RSS, beginning new dialogues, and I find myself seeing Web 2.0 apps everywhere: i.e. The movie, Funny People has a scene about a MySpace convention, the Sunday coloured comics had four out of twelve cartoons referencing the Web. I never saw these things before, let lone considered their significance!

The kicker though, was when I was staying at my friend's Bed & Breakfast. He was telling me about his plans for a new website and I blurted out! No! You need a blog, and proceeded to outline what it could do for his business and what it could look like.

So while I love the fame, the new respect, and the cachet of being more tech literate, my standard of personal growth still comes down to...Am I a better wife, mom, teacher, or friend because of my Technojourney? Am I more equipped to fulfill my various roles because of this six-week investment? Do I have a greater understanding of and compassion for my colleagues and friends in our collective struggles? Will I live more intentionally because of this journey?

But these are questions that can only be answered by treking across the geographies of time.

But enough of me talking...do you hear that whumpa, whumpa sound? It's the helicopter is just now rounding that west mountain, the rotors beating out its arrival. It is a call for me to get ready.

My pack is much heavier than when I started this journey, but the helicopter is bigger too. So thank you for sharing this journey with me.

I couldn’t have made it to this pick-up point without you...



References

http://blogs.wsj.com/management/2009/03/24/the-facebook-generation-vs-the-fortune-500/

media.awareness@media-awareness.ca

Newsome, K. (2007, June 26). From Creation to Abandonment: the 5 Stages of Blogging. Retrieved August 10, 2009 from Newsome.Org: http://www.newsome.org/2007/06/from-creation-to-abandonment-5-stages.shtml

http://www.educause.edu/home

http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/2009/01/17/imagining-better-conversations/

http://www.teachmag.com/teachmag_archives.html