Blog Assignment #10

Cartoon

After reviewing the cartoon from Mr. Spencer’s blog, I believe he is trying to state that both the papermate pencil and the Ticonderoga pencil both provide the same services. One is just more expensive than the other is. He is also trying to say that the Ticonderoga pencil is better quality than the papermate. I think Mr. Spencer is telling us to use whatever technology we have available, even if it is just pencil and paper.

Why Were Your Kids Playing Games?

After reading "Why Were Your Kids Playing Games?", it made me realize that not everyone will approve of your style of teaching. When the principal does not support your teaching methods, it would make your job a lot harder. As long as no rules, laws, or safety practices are being compromised, let the teachers teach! Each teacher and each student are individuals, with individual styles, and whatever works should be allowed. This scenario is eye opening because it tells me there could be “brick walls” even from your administrators.

It’s Not Opium and It Won’t Kill Our Writing

After reading John T. Spencer’s blog, "It’s not opium and it won’t kill our writing", it has made me realize that the communication tools we use today is like the pencil and paper. We can just call it the keyboard and monitor or keypad and screen. The technology is different, but the concept is the same.

The mother in this story was concerned about her son writing with the pencil and paper and becoming addicted to it. She was concerned it was taking away his study time and his playtime. She was also concerned that he would lose his ability to write. She did not realize that this writing was a learning tool for him. He says it made him learn how to distinguish between formal English and informal English. He also said he communicated with his friends by these letters. Our technology we use today to communicate is “not opium and it won’t kill our writing” We use the computer and cell phones every day. Tweeting, facebooking, or texting is teaching us something every day, especially how to use technology available to us. . We are learning something. I know the texting language is different, but each one of us will have to make a conscience effort to commit to using formal English when necessary. As the son in this story used letters to communicate with his friends, we use computers and cell phones to communicate with our friends. I thank Mr. Spencer when he says we are not a generation of stupid, illiterate, shallow thinkers.

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

After reading Scott McLeod’s post, "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?", I thought it was quite amusing. I absolutely love sarcasm and he did it well. He summed up all the negative and positive aspects of internet technology and computer technology in his post. There are concerns about use of the internet in the classroom, but we must figure out a way to monitor more efficiently because the use of technology is adamant. We must teach our students about the technology available to them to be able to compete in their future careers and endeavors. How can we do this if it is not available in the classroom? Calling out the parents, teachers, administrators, and board members did not leave anyone out of the equation. We must all work together to make a better education system that will prepare our students for the world ahead of them.

Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D. is currently the Director of Innovation for Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency in Iowa. He is also on leave from his position as an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky. He is also the founding director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), which is the only center in our nation dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators. He also is the co-creator of the video series, “Did You Know? (Shift Happens). He has received many awards for technology leadership work.