The Labyrinth of the Luddite – Micheal Hagel’s Professional Blog

One Powerful Image

2011-12-15T22:50:00.001-08:00

One of the things I try to teach students is how to create better presentations. In this I try to emphasize the use of one powerful image per slide and minimal text. The presenter makes the presentation; not the PowerPoint presentation. Add to that if everything the student is saying is on the slide the audience could just read it and it wouldn’t really be a presentation anymore. My success is debatable, but I think I am getting somewhere this year.

For the majority of my teaching career I have been doing an assignment I call Dream Poem. I first did this assignment in grade 9 ELA. The origins of this assignment were actually taken out of the text book Sightlines 9. The students read the poem In Praise of Dreams by Wislawa Szymborska and then write their own poem in a similar style and then type it using different fonts and colours to highlight different parts of the poem. I have also used this assignment in Information Processing classes to have students play around with fonts and colours in Microsoft Word and also to see the visual impact writing can have. This assignment has always gone well and the poetry the students produce has always been excellent. As much as students complain about poetry given the right assignment can they write – all of them.

This year I had an epiphany. Instead of using Microsoft Word they would use PowerPoint and turn their poem into a presentation. The original poem and their poem are written in couplets. Each couplet must have a slide with one image. The great presentation slide shows I have seen are that: a great image with information. A few students have completed the assignment and they are amazing; I’m not sure words do justice. I don’t know how some of them found images that so perfectly fit what they have written. The images they are choosing to go with their couplets are perfect. They get it. Now I just need to transfer this skill, and they have the skill, to other presentations.

And once I tell them how wonderful their poem/slide shows are, I can talk about copyright, sourcing, and how they probably don’t have permission to use the images they used. It just keeps getting better.

I am so impressed with the poems/slide shows so far I think I need to find I way to share them. I shouldn’t be the only one who gets to see them. And then I can share the assignment and finally be able to share something I do through my blog which has been a goal for a few years. This is awesome!

Last year I mentioned that the Minotaur and I don’t think much of each other’s poetry. Maybe with pictures we can start to appreciate each other’s poetry more.

Super Powers

2011-05-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

I’m a huge fan of comic books; have been for years. If you were to ask me what comic book character I would want to be, for many years, I would have said Wolverine. A healing factor and claws that can cut through anything have always seemed desirable and practical. Or maybe someone who could fly like Angel, because flying would be cool and it would make travel quicker and easier.

Starting today, thought, I think I would want to be the Flash and have super speed. I have so much I want to be doing and I just don’t have the time. Every few weekends I think about spending a day a school working. Which never happens because I also need to have a bit of a life outside of school; there needs to be some balance between school and not school. I think super speed would solve so many problems. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom.

Not that super speed would help in the labyrinth. Being able to get even more lost, faster, might make things worse. There is always the hope I just haven’t found the way out yet at the speed I currently move, but if I was super-fast and could travel even more places it would be more depressing that I couldn’t find my way out. Oh well, back to the search.

Sharing and Blogging

2011-04-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

I recently set myself the goal of keeping my email inbox at 10 messages or less. What does this have to do with sharing and blogging you ask? Well I’ll get there eventually. By 10 messages or less in my inbox I mean 10 emails that I have yet to finish dealing with. Once I have dealt with an email, either by responding to it, deleting it, or doing some kind of task, I either delete the email or put it into an appropriate folder if I may need the information at a later date. This goal can be difficult. Some emails can’t be dealt with right away and sometime having 10 or less isn’t possible, but still it is a goal to work towards.

What this has to do with sharing and blogging is one of the oldest emails in my inbox has to do with writing some sort of reflection on a K12 online conference session as part of being a member of Living Sky School Divisions iSITS committee. Yes, I know the conference was back in October, but since I am always on the lookout for another idea to become a blog post I will one day write, no matter how long it takes, I decided to not give up on this email as beyond hope. Also my plan was to write about Dean Shareski’s preconference keynote titled Sharing: The Moral Imperative and since I am a big fan of Dean’s blog this seemed another reason not to give up on the email and now I have gotten back to sharing and blogging.

As the title suggested Dean’s keynote is about sharing. I agree that as teachers we should share. I have been the beneficiary of other teachers sharing and I am always happy to pay sharing forward when I can. As we often hear: don’t reinvent the wheel. As a fan of karma from watching too many episodes of “My Name is Earl”, sharing is good and good things will happen if I share.

In my experience sharing doesn’t always solve a problem completely, no two teachers are alike so what works for one teacher won’t necessarily work for another, but it is a place to start. Even if what we share isn’t perfect for another teacher it may be the idea needed to create an incredible classroom experience or take a little pressure off.

When it comes to technology in the classroom I started teaching at the perfect time. Since I started university computers have always been there and their use expected. I have more of my materials saved electronically then as paper copies and therefore easily shared. I have gotten so much from other teachers, from the blogs I follow, from the internet (I have too many bookmarks/favourites), that I need to start sharing; it is now time to give back.

I need to share more of my many bookmarks, which means I need to figure out a way to make Diigo work for me, and I need to share more of my ideas, probably through blogging. Often I stumble across a blog post or website that I find an interesting read or an inspiring idea, but don’t want to add it to my rising mountain of bookmarks, and I should be blogging about them, as a way to completing process the information/ideas, and as another way to save the website.

Another part of Dean’s keynote that really resonated with me is the following quote from Dan Meyers talking about blogging: periods of stagnancy in my blogging start to correspond to periods of stagnancy in my teaching. I know what Dan is talking about. I sometimes feel that when my use of technology in the classroom becomes stagnant it usually corresponds to not having blogged in some time. I constantly struggle with technology in my classes and I find blogging helps me work through these struggles and I need to find more time to blog so that I can get closer to finding an answer.

Sharing and blogging is the way to go. Since he grew up alone in a maze the Minotaur is not big on sharing, with the exception of the occasional cuff up the side of the head.

Story Time

2010-11-30T21:24:00.000-08:00

At the start of this school year I posted more to this blog then I had the entire previous school year and then stopped. It’s not that I ran out of ideas. I have five or six ideas that will make great blog post. The problem was that, as much I was enjoying writing, it was taking up too much time, and my priority is educating students not blogging. And If I was no longer teaching what would I have to blog about? I’m currently in the process of analyzing my use of time because there are a number of things I would like to be doing, that I am not doing, and I need to find a way to be doing them.

Anyway, the real reason for this post is that I am cleaning up my favorites and was rereading the following article: Why are we failing in history, science education?. The article is from an American newspaper and about the American education system, but I came away from the article with what I think is an important thought/paraphrase: education too often takes the stories out of knowledge. Too often students are just taught the facts and not the story behind those facts and it is the stories that make the facts, and learning, interesting, engaging, and memorable. The stories make students think, analyze, and help make connections. How is this not a good thing? Now sometimes students need facts, but not all the time. There needs to be more than just facts, there needs to be context … there needs to be more stories.

I need to tell more stories. The Minotaur and I have story time. We just finished reading The Hunger Games trilogy and we highly recommend it; just don’t think too deeply on how I am trapped in a labyrinth but have access to new books.

Pictures and Facebook

2010-10-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

Based on an idea from Shelly Blake-Plock’s post Advising the Advisor I’ve started having advisor time with the grade 9’s at Luseland School. I teach the grade 9’s at least one period a day, and I am their homeroom teacher, so during one of the periods I set aside 10 minutes or so when we can talk about anything they want to talk about and they can ask any questions they want. They are a curious bunch and we have looked up why bunnies are associated with Easter, what is plasmid, discussed why do we have to take out earrings when playing sports, and the course selection limitations of rural schools among other things and other discussion. Yesterday I was asked a most peculiar question: Why is there a picture of you on the hood of a police car on Facebook?

This was a strange question for a number of reasons. First, I don’t have a Facebook account so somebody else posted the picture. Second, I didn’t remember being on the hood of a police car let alone a picture of such an event being taken. Being curious I asked a student to log in and show me the picture. Facebook isn’t outright banned or blocked at our school. A student just needs to have teacher permission to use Facebook, so as long as they have a good reason it is allowed. There is every possibility that since it is not blocked that it is being used when teachers are not looking, but hopefully we can trust students to do the right thing.

Once I was shown the picture I remembered where and when the picture was taken. Last year on a grade 10 to 12 school trip to Edmonton (don’t get worried nothing bad happened) we were at the Science Center (I swear I didn’t do anything bad) there was an exhibit about police investigation that had the front half of a cop car. Some of the kids were taking pictures near it and as a joke I said, and demonstrated, what would make a good looking picture. I don’t remember a picture being taken but I guess one was.

After seeing the photo I saw this as a perfect opportunity to discuss posting photos on the internet, digital footprint, and digital citizenship. As digital footprints go I suppose this photo could pose a problem but in context there is nothing wrong with it. I am not tagged in the photo so a search for me is not going to bring up the photo. The last time I googled myself this blog was the first thing that came up, which I think is a good thing. The photo being posted does bring up an important question: should photos be posted without the people in the picture knowing? I never gave permission for the photo to be posted online (until yesterday I didn’t even know the picture existed), but as a student pointed out I never asked that the photo not be posted.

In this digital age is this what things have come to: every time someone takes a photo of me I have to give or not give permission for it to be posted? With the number of devices that can take photos do we have to worry about everything we do because someone may take a picture of it? I don’t have a Facebook account but there are pictures of me on Facebook. Does that mean I need to get a Facebook account and check what photos of me may be posted? Does that then mean I need to be a member of every site that posts photos to check what pictures of me are on the internet? Do I have to police the entire internet and control everything about me on the internet?

I can’t police and/or control the entire internet for what may be posted about me. I can’t stop people from posting things or pictures about me. The main thing I can do is control what I put out into the internet for everyone to see. The important thing is to represent yourself on the internet, because if you don’t who knows who will. Through this blog I leave a digital footprint that I am in control of and I am proud of. I take what I post seriously because it represents me on the internet. This is what I can do. This is being a good digital citizen and this is digital citizenship. This is an example I can give my students. With its lack of technology or adequate lighting for photos the labyrinth sometimes feel like a safe place to be in today’s digital world, but a picture of the Minotaur and me would be nice for if I ever get out of here.

Part Three: Return of the Wanderer

2010-10-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

Why is it I have never realized, until today, that the third parts of both the original Star Wars trilogy and Lord of the Rings books have the word return in their title? If this is part three then my last two posts are part one and two in what has ended up becoming a trilogy on my use of technology in the classroom. After my last two posts things looked a little bleak. Then I read Scott McLeod’s post We Can’t Let Educators Off the Hook. In light of my two recent posts, this blog post really hit home.

I read this and thought maybe I don’t have a choice when it comes to computers and their many applications? Maybe to be an effective teacher I need to be learning and using with students all sorts of technology. Then I read the comments.

I always wondered about the other side of the argument when it comes to technology in the classroom; I never see it. This makes sense. The teachers who are passionate about technology in the classroom are going to be online and blogging. The teachers who don’t want technology in their classroom, no matter how passionate they are most likely are not online and since I do most of my education related reading online this was a side I was unlikely to see. The comments gave me a glimpse at that other side of the argument that I have wanted to see.

Maybe I don’t have to use all the latest technologies and applications to be a good classroom teacher. I think the important part is that I realize that technology, various computer applications, and social media are important and should be part of the classroom. Are they as much a part of my classroom as other teachers? No, but I can’t be another teacher, I can only be me. I have to do what I am comfortable with or it will not work. And for those teachers who do not use technology in their classrooms we need to find ways to make it comfortable. When it comes to having more social media in my classroom this will be a struggle for me but as long as I am trying and doing something, and not doing nothing, then I can be effective.

Maybe I could be doing more when it comes to having my students be connected, especially with other classrooms and classrooms at other schools, but I am doing something, I am providing students with skills that will help them in the future. As long as I am discussing effective online communication and digital citizenship and using some technologies that have students communicating online, in some format, than I am providing some skills in online communication and social media. As long as I don’t stop where I am, and keep moving, no matter the pace, I will be helping students the best I can.

Now where is that Minotaur? I am feeling re-energized; I am feeling adventurous. I feel like wandering. Let’s go exploring the labyrinth.

Am I Lost?

2010-10-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

In a recent post I talked about a chart I use as a guide for what I should teach in my computer classes. In my last post I wondered about my ability to teach computer classes when I am not that interested in computers and some of their applications.

Perhaps I should clarify. I do not hate computers. I use them every day, and not just as a teacher. A computer, and the internet, is an amazing tool for searching, finding, and storing information. I don’t hate technology. What would I do without my iPod to listen to music and my DVD collection to entertain me? Well I guess I would still have my record player and my comic book collection. Wow, could I do more in two sentences to make myself seem like a geek? I hate talking on the telephone and email is a useful tool for quick communication, but I don’t like communication that is not face to face. Why would I want a technology that makes non face to face communication even easier? Like I said I don’t hate computers and technologies I just see a limit to their usefulness for me. But does that limit, limit my usefulness as a classroom teacher in the 21st century.

Back to that wonderful chart I have mentioned before and its point: “Some things with which old people can still help” when using technology. So I have the ability to help with technology, and I think the chart shows the best ways I can help students with technology, but how little can you know about the technology and still be useful when teaching it? Is the help I am able to offer enough? How do I find a balance without putting myself in situations I don’t want to be in using technology I don’t want to use? Are the things in this chart enough? If this is what I can offer as a teacher, the ways in which I can help students with technology, computers, and their applications, is it enough to have an impact on what the students are learning. Will I be providing students with skills and abilities that will help them in the future, whatever that may be, or will I just be teaching more stuff they have to take to get out of here? I think now may be the time to admit I’m lost.

I’d ask the Minotaur for help finding the way out of here, but he’s been here longer than me.

So At What Point Do I Admit I May Be Lost?

2010-10-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

There are times when I have students working on assignments in my computer classes where I can’t help them much. I do an assignment in my Information Processing (computer) classes called Learning a Computer Application. The main idea of the assignment is the student picks an application, one installed on the school computers, or one that is web based, teaches themselves how to use it, and then somehow shows me what they have learned. Since I usually don’t know how to use the application I can’t help much, but most students are able to learn a program through experimentation, the help function, and the internet. Students don’t need to be taught how to use most applications/programs and the ones they do need to be taught are usually tied to a job and they will be taught then. As they teach themselves to learn a new program they make it easier to learn other new applications. My role is to make sure they have the opportunity to teach themselves new applications.

At some point though does my lack of knowledge about some technologies and applications hinder my ability to help students learn? There are a lot of technologies and applications, especially social media, that I have no desire to learn. Is this wrong? Do I have to learn about all new technologies and applications? I have to learn some, but how do I decide which ones are worth learning and not worth learning? Is it a personal or a professional choice? Will I decide the right ones to learn and not to learn? At some point can I say that I know all the technology and applications I need or want to know? At what point do I need to get out of teaching technology focused classes when I am asking these questions? When I was teaching English and History I couldn’t see a day when I wouldn’t want to read more or learn more, but with computer/technology classes there are days when I ask when is this enough? Do I need to be learning these technologies and applications no matter what I teach? What if I don’t want to be more connected? Is this attitude helpful to students in a time when they want to be more connected? I just don’t know.

Maybe I’ve wandered this labyrinth enough. Maybe I just want out. Maybe I should stay in here; there isn’t much technology. Maybe the labyrinth is the perfect place for me or maybe I need to wander some more.

Speed Geeking

2010-10-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

According to Merriam-webster.com geek is defined as either a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake or an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity. Some of us at our iSITS meeting on Tuesday, who were familiar with the original definition of geek, were a little worried. Would there be a timed competition to see who could bite off the most chicken heads in a minute? Turns out what was actually required was that every person was given a few minutes to discuss and share a cool tool or website they use or a way they incorporate technology in the classroom

Not sure what to show and convinced that nothing I do in my classes with technology is that groundbreaking I thought I would share a few websites that I have found particularly useful or interesting. While talking to people, and after having prepared the below text, I thought this would make an excellent post, so here it is.

http://ideasandthoughts.org/2008/07/17/podcast-40-going-global-going-public/

While this presentation is aimed at teachers I use this as my main presentation for exploring digital citizenship with students. I work through the presentation discussing each of the slides and any topics that arise. There is audio with the slides that I listen to before presenting as a refresher. I also have a number of other digital citizenship links I work through at later dates.

http://www.pagetutor.com/trillion/index.html

A great site that shows just how much a trillion dollars is, because sometimes a visual is needed to truly explain and understand a really big number.

http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2010/03/stick.html

From this post I came up with an assignment I couldn’t wait to mark and have discussed in this blog before. The assignment is below.

Your Assignment:
Here is a piece of paper, make me believe in something
You have access to all materials you brought to class, anything in this classroom, the computer lab, and the library and you have 20 minutes.

http://www.onlineclasses.org/2009/08/11/100-totally-fun-and-weird-college-courses-you-can-now-take-for-free/
http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Two great sites that contain links to 100’s of online courses. They are university courses but there is lots of materials, including notes and assignments, that can be used for inspiration or adapted for classroom use.

http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/evaluating/
http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/webcrit.html

Two good resources that I have used to have students evaluate websites. Do I expect them to do all this every time they look at a website? No. But even if they ask themselves some of these questions when they are looking at a website there is a better chance the information they are using will be quality information.

http://www.teach42.com/2009/07/07/destination-irrelevant/

I use this video before any research project where students get to choose their topics because I want them to have this sort of passion for whatever they will be researching. If nothing else it is a great presentation by someone who is passionate about what they do.

From a collection of approximately 450 bookmarks these are the few I thought worthy to highlight and share. This isn’t the first time I’ve been part of speed geeking though. Here in the labyrinth it is a yearly event. Unfortunately it does involve the timed biting off of chicken and snake heads. The Minotaur always wins.

Teaching a Computer Class With No Computers

2010-09-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

Last post I talked about our server crashing and teaching computer classes without computers. One of my solutions came from looking at the content below: Some technologies and Some things with which old people can still help. This comes from Doug Johnson’s Blue Skunk Blog and his post Old Folks and Technology.

Some technologies: Some things with which old people can still help
Spreadsheets: Math sense, numeracy, efficiency in design
Charting and graphing software: Selecting the right graph for the right purpose
Database design: End user consideration, making valid data-driven decisions
Word processing: The writing process, organization, editing, grammar, style
Presentation software: Speaking skills, graphic design, organization, clarity
Web-page design: Design, writing skills, ethical information distribution
Online research: Citation of sources, designing good questions, checking validity of data, understanding biases
Video-editing: Storyboarding, copyright issues when using film clips and audio
Chat room use/Instant messaging Safety, courtesy, time management

This information, in chart form, is a permanent fixture on my office bulletin board and I use it as a guideline for what I should teach in my computer classes. I teach a limited amount of computer applications in my computer classes: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Students don’t need me to teach them how to use programs. They can learn how to use a program on their own. Even if I do teach them a program they are going to forget everything I showed them unless they are using it on a regular basis. Luckily most programs are built on a similar platform. Menus are similar and if you know how to print in one program you can probably figure out how to in another (see the great flow chart from my earlier post Wall Paintings), and if not there are numerous tutorials on the internet. Instead I try to focus on skills that will transfer between classes and projects: internet searching, researching, sourcing, formatting documents, digital citizenship, report writing, and giving quality and engaging presentations; skills that are mentioned in the chart.

When our server crashed last May and we had no computers I looked at this chart and tried to think of what I could do in a computer class with no computers. I like to have students do numerous presentations to work on their ability to speak in front of a group, but also to be dynamic speakers. This is a skill that will be useful in numerous settings and a skill I want to help students develop.

While looking at the chart on my office wall I came up with the idea to have the students do a poetry reading. I spent one class going over some poetry stuff I had used as an ELA teacher. Most of it centered on the idea that how you read a poem can impact the meaning of the poem as much as the words that make up the poem. We looked at the difference between a sentence and a poem when they contain the exact same words, how changing the order of words can change meaning, and listened to multiple versions of a song by different artists to show how you say the words affects the meaning attached to those words. I then gave the students a class to look through some poetry books, pick a poem and annotate how they were going to read it. The students then read the poem to the class.

Students learn how to use PowerPoint quickly but the skill of delivering a good presentation takes time and without ever seeing a computer this assignment helps build presentation skills and prepare students for future PowerPoint presentation. Even now that are computers are working I plan to continue to do this assignment because I think it will continue to help students with presentations they will give in the future. We sometimes have poetry readings in the labyrinth, but the Minotaur’s poetry is really bad; not that he thinks mine is any better.

I Sometimes Miss Teaching English

2010-09-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

I have read a lot about teachers using and not using technology in their classrooms and I have read a lot of reason why teachers use and do not use technology, but I don’t know how much I’ve read about the reason I’ve been thinking of, or maybe I just missed the discussion.

I use computers a lot in the classes I teach. A lot of that use is as simple as why do assignments on paper when I can do it on the computer and save paper? Or why use an out of date, too simple textbook, when students can have access to all the information on the internet? I teach keyboarding, computers, and information processing classes which are about using computers and technology. I teach shop and since I can’t fit all the students in my shop at once half are doing work that is not in the shop, but almost always uses computers. I don’t have textbooks for most of the classes I teach. I use the internet a lot for Science 9 because the text is out of date and too simple. Computers and the internet are a huge part of my classroom. There are days I don’t leave the computer lab, and even when I do some of my students are still using computers. I explain all this for a reason.

Now before I go on I want to make it clear that nothing that follows in anyway supposed to be in anyway negative towards our division’s IT department. I have nothing but respect for everyone who works there because of all the work they do to keep our computers running. People remember when things are not working, but often forget all the times when things are working. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that their job isn’t always the easiest. This post is not about our IT department; it is about teacher’s use of technology.

We have had a few computer issues these last few months. In June our server crashed and while it was fixed as quickly as possible we still spent a few days without computers. As a teacher who uses computers, a lot, and who teaches computer classes this made my job more interesting. This summer our division was upgraded to Windows 7 which is causing lots of fun as the IT department tries to get everything working the same as it was before. None of this should be unexpected. Machines breakdown, you just always hope it will be someone else’s. System upgrades usually don’t go smoothly. Like I said none of this should be unexpected, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

Textbooks don’t crash and whiteboards don’t quit working when you get new markers. How do I teach a computer class with no computers? At times like these I miss teaching English, because it wouldn’t be as big a problem. I used computers a lot when teaching English but it was easy to teach without them. Actually one of my solutions for teaching computers without computers will be another post. For a good post on this topic check out Shelly Blake-Plock’s post at A Paperless Survival Guide to Managing the Occasional Tech Snafu from his excellent blog TeachPaperless.

Maybe it isn’t that teachers don’t know how to use computers (they do), or that they don’t want to create new lessons (good teachers are always creating new lessons), maybe it just that they don’t want to rely on a resource that can suddenly and without warning not be there. It is enough work to plan a lesson or activity without having to plan a backup in case the technology doesn’t work. If you are always planning a backup, you are planning two lessons. Teaching is a lot of work without having to plan two lessons for every class. Now I know I am making having a backup plan more work than it often is, but it can be a big obstacle, especially when you are first incorporating technology into your classroom. I know the arguments for using technology in the classroom, and I agree, but I also can see where it would be easier to skip the technology. I can see why some teachers don’t want to use technology in their classroom I don’t have any easy answers to solve this problem. This is just something I have been thinking of, but if maybe I can understand why a teacher may not use technology maybe I can figure out a way to make it easier for them to use technology. It is days like these that the ludditte in me makes

Make Me Believe In Something

2010-03-31T00:31:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I follow through my Google Reader is TeachPaperless. I just tried an assignment with my grade 9 class that was inspired by a recent post titled The Stick. My version, well, used paper, so in that aspect I obviously don’t understand the name of the blog, but here is the assignment that I put up on the SMART board:

Grade 9 Assignment

This assignment will challenge and assess your intellect, aptitude, understanding, and creativity.

Your Assignment:

Here is a piece of paper, make me believe in something

You have access to all materials you brought to class, anything in this classroom, the computer lab, and the library and you have 20 minutes.

Assignment inspiration: http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2010/03/stick.html

I put a stack of paper at the front of the room, read through the assignment twice and left. I had a few questions from students as I was leaving about what exactly they were supposed to do and all I said was make me believe in something. Before I was out the door students were getting paper and starting. I came back 20 minutes later to find most students done and some finishing up.

Now marking is not my favourite part of teaching, but I couldn’t wait to see and read what the students had done. Students who usually sit and do not too much wrote essays, I had art, a few paper airplanes, one piece of writing intricately folded up, and I got some great, passionate writing.

I went into this assignment not fully planned on what it was going to be or its purpose, but I was so inspired by the idea after reading the blog post I had to try it. I wanted to see what the students would come up with; what they were capable of. I have to follow up with this class next period and congratulate them on the work they did, it was awesome. This assignment reaffirms how much potential this class has and reminds me that I have to do more to make them see this and also make them see that what we are doing in the classroom deserves the utilization of all they are capable of because it does matter to their future, whatever it may be. Maybe the lesson was for me.

While I do manage it sometimes I hope I can do this more often; assignments that students are engaged in and that I can’t wait to see. I am so inspired right now even the dank of the labyrinth can’t get me down.

Wall Paintings

2009-12-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

Last night I read another great post from Kim Cofino. The entire post is worth checking out at: http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2009/12/10/making-the-implicit-explicit/. I'm not going to summarize, so hopefully you read the post or what I am about to write will make sense. This posting got me thinking, more than usual, about what I teach in my keyboarding/computers/information processing classes. What are the essential skills I should be teaching? How do I make these classes relevant and worthwhile to the students? What can I teach that the students couldn't learn on their own if they really wanted/needed to? Questions I don't have answers for, but a possible posting topic for later.

What really stood out to me was the following graphic

This picture, from an interesting web comic, sums up a lot of what I do some days as the "tech person" at school. I claim no special knowledge, and spent years not admitting I knew anything so that I wouldn't get questions. There is no doubt that there is way more that I don't know than I know. Most days, if there is a problem, my first response is to try logging off and then logging in again, or turn off the computer, turn it back on, and log in again. Next would be doing what this chart is saying. Well this works in program x, lets try it in program y, even if I don't know what I am doing. Years of failure while sitting at a computer will teach you a lot. I am thinking of posting this everywhere there is a computer.

On a personal note this my first blog post with a picture in it. I even checked to make sure I could use the picture. There was a little message about creative commons at the bottom of the webpage I got the picture for. Great now I'm painting on the walls in the labyrinth, now I'll never get out of here.

Student Blogging

2009-12-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

I started blogging with my grade 9 computers class last week. I would go into more detail but I would be re-typing/writing what I am already writing on my classroom blog, as opposed to writing here, my professional blog. If you want, you can check it out at:

http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=253703

It seems I may have a bit of company in the labyrinth. It makes things a little better, and they are a bright bunch, maybe they can help me find a way out.

Still Wandering

2009-10-18T22:05:00.001-07:00

Once in awhile I get an idea that I think will make a good blog post and I will type a few lines and save it so that I can look at it and expand at a later date. Tonight I was looking at some of those writings and came across the following question: Were our lives lacking that much before the internet? I don’t know if I wrote it or got it somewhere, but the question has me thinking. At its core: what is the internet but a way to communicate, and communicate quicker then was ever possible before. So the question becomes is being able to communicate more easily and speedily made our lives better. I could come up with a dozen of reasons on both sides of the argument but it will wait, because this is too good of a question, and I want to save it for when my grade 9 computer class starts blogging.

The Luddite in me, and my blog title, wants to say it hasn’t made things better but this question leads to the larger question of what technology has made our lives better. I recall the university professor who said that the typewriter was the perfect technology because it made some tasks quicker but didn’t cause people to loose their jobs, like, oh I don’t know, the computer has.

But this could also lead to the question has the car made our lives better and to the quote from Steven Wright that everywhere is walking distance if you have the time and I can’t write anything bad against automobiles, maybe certain types of automobiles, but not against automobiles as a whole. Not against the automobile; not those wondrous inventions that I could write so poetically about: the glorious feeling of being in control of hundreds of horse power and foot pounds of torque; that indescribable sound of 300 + cubic inches (327, 350, 427, and 454 being four of the greatest numbers in the world) spread over eight cylinders, preferably in a V formation. The exhilaration as you rev the motor and put it in gear, the power of being in control of power; to bring something inanimate to life, and to move forward … fast; to be free. To steal from Pirates of the Caribbean it's not just an engine, and a drive train, and a body, that’s what a car needs, but what a car really is … is freedom, fast. It is hard to describe what I get out of working on and driving cars. Either you get it or I don’t.

And social networking, I don’t get it. On some level I understand. Because of the car thing I understand how something can be such a huge part of a person’s life and have other people completely not get it, but that still doesn’t help me get it. I’m taking an online course right now with a couple of other teachers and a lot of it is done through message boards and I don’t like it. I understand how they work, but it is like reading a constantly updated textbook. I don’t want to interact or respond to it, it’s a book. I want to interact and respond to people. I’ll interact and respond with people about the textbook, but not with the textbook. I don’t get it; I don’t want to get it, because I want to communicate with people face to face, not through text, not through audio, not through video, face to face live communication.

This makes my job hard sometimes. In my classroom I plan on blogging and someday moving towards more online communication because I see why it will be important for my students to have experience with it, even though I want little or no part of it. I find it weird that I helped write a new cell phone policy at Luseland that expanded cell phone privileges when I don’t have a cell phone and outright refuse to get one. But I suppose there is a difference between refusing to change and not likely the change and going along with it, somewhat, because you can see the importance. Well I hope there is a difference. This especially makes my job hard sometimes when the classes I teach that are online and use computers are my favourite to teach. I see the uses and positives of the technology I just don’t want much part of it. Even the word technology causes problems; I have endless enjoyable uses for my stereo receiver, iPod, DVD player, satellite receiver (technically all technology), and can spend many joyful hours hooking up these things, listening to, watching, and understanding how they work. But technology for communicating online: not so much.

Even though I am using the technology right now and enjoy the writing part of my blog, and that what I am writing is being read and occasionally commented on. I think I just contradicted most of what I have previously written here. My blog title has never had more meaning than it does right now. This labyrinth is so confusing sometimes.

Proxi, Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

2009-05-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

In February I wrote about the death of an old projector I found at the school. In March and April I had my grade 9 students working on a project in PAA and Science that had them pulling apart some electronic devices, researching how they worked, and putting them back together. One of these devices was the Proxima projector, or Proxi as she was known, that had died. Starting the project the group that was tearing Proxi apart knew she didn’t work. At the end of the project with the projector put back together we plugged it in to see if the fan and a few of the lights still worked. I was a little worried because despite having the projector back together there was a substantial pile of screws left and when we turned the projector over to hook some wires up a lot of rattling inside. When we plugged the projector in, something that I did not expect happened: it worked. The bulb that had seemingly died months before was working again. I haven’t turned Proxi on since. With all the SMART boards we have and Dell I don’t need another projector, especially one that is likely to die at any moment, but it is still amazing that it worked at all. Even with a Minotaur running around sometimes I forget what a magical place this labyrinth can be. I also think the phoenix in the title of this blog post is appropriate because I do worry that if I tried to use Proxi that it would die in a ball of flame much like a phoenix, except never to rise again. Then maybe, as the Kurgan said in the movie Highlander, it’s better to burn out than to fade away.

Troubles With Cell Phones

2009-05-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

I don’t actually have any troubles with cell phones; issues maybe. You would have to actually have a cell phone before they could cause you any real trouble. I’ve been working on a post about cell phones for awhile and … it’s not going well. It just never seems good enough, doesn’t feel right. There are two reasons I thought writing about cell phones would be a good idea.

First is that at Luseland School we’ve implemented a new cell phone. We went almost two months without confiscating a cell phone and I think I can say that the new policy is a success. The old policy was no cell phones in school, ever. One day after a student accused the school of being a prison I told some students to come up with a new cell phone policy, convince me of it, and I would help them get it implemented. Later that day I realized I had most likely set the students up for failure, because what they thought would be reasonable, and what would be seen as reasonable, was most likely two different things and I should help them create a new cell phone policy. Over several noon meetings and classroom discussions some students and I created a new cell phone policy that would allow students to use their cell phones at noon. I won’t go into the tiny details; you can see a copy of the policy at: http://www.luseland.lskysd.ca/New%20Cell%20Phone%20Policy.pdf. All students, and their parents, had to sign a form saying that they had read and understood the policy before they could use their phone at school. While there were still cell phones being confiscated for the first little while, numbers have dropped off and the new policy seems to be working. I guess the students were telling the truth when they said if they could use their cell phones at noon they would not try and use them during the day.

The other reason was that I seem to be reading more and more about cell phones in the blogs I follow through Google Reader. This was the biggest reason I thought a post on cell phones would be a great idea, but the more I wrote the more it didn’t seem to work. I think the biggest hurdle is that I don’t get cell phones. I don’t get why people are so attached and addicted to them. To me, everything a cell phone does, there is some other, and to me better, way to do it. While other people see cell phones as useful and essential I don’t. I don’t like talking on a regular phone, so carrying one with me seems pointless and I have never been in a situation where having a cell phone would have been or was a huge help. So while a lot of what I read makes some sense, I have this huge mental block when it comes to cell phone use. I like to be unconnected and sometimes unreachable. This could also be why Twitter and Facebook don’t make much sense to me. This is why the post I was working on didn’t work. My natural, entrenched, dislike of cell phones affected anything I was writing.

So why did I keep working at the post trying to make it work? Well I had come up with an ending so good, that connected back to my title, Labyrinth of the Luddite, so well that I wanted to find a way to make the post work so that I could use the ending. But it wouldn’t work so I decided I would write about why the post didn’t work and use the ending that way, because I liked the ending that much. So here it is:

Nowhere do my luddite tendencies shine brighter than when it comes to cell phones. Maybe if I had a cell phone I could call for help and get out of this labyrinth … but where would be the fun in that, where is the journey, the experiences, the adventure, the unknown. I may have never met my good buddy the Minotaur

SMART Boards

2009-04-03T00:32:00.000-07:00

Looking at this blog the other day I realized I should get around to writing another post. I then stopped and thought about what I have been doing with technology at school since my last post. While my daily reading of blogs about technology and education, and cataloguing of ideas for future use, continues most of my technology time has been consumed by SMART boards. As mentioned in an earlier post Luseland School bought 8 SMART boards. The real fun began in installing the SMART boards.

5 of the SMART boards went into 7-12 classrooms. Our first problem was the chalkboards in these classrooms. The chalkboards frames were slanted and ended at a height that was in the middle of where a bracket for the SMART board projector had to go, so all the chalkboards, and the bulletin boards surrounding them, had to go. So before mounting the SMART boards and projectors in each room 24ft of chalkboards, and I'm talking about old school, black slate, heavy chalkboards, and surrounding bulletin boards had to be taken down. Since these chalkboards, and the frames they were attached to, were made years ago the frames where made with 24ft 2x4’s so that the entire structure came down in one, huge, heavy, and dusty piece. If my shop was crowded before with everything normally in there, and the SMART boards, all of theses chalk boards and frames only added to the problem. The elementary rooms were much simpler. The chalk boards and bulletin boards were flat, and high enough, that were able to install the SMART boards right over top of them. Anywhere there were chalkboards in the elementary rooms we covered them with white boards or bulletin boards.

I took care of the chalk board and frame problem by having my PAA classes pull them apart, pull out all the nails and screws and cut up the wood. I had never thought of it until I came across the issue, that you need to show some students how to pull out nails and demolish things. I have been doing these things for so long I took for granted that I had to learn these skills somewhere. While I was using a crowbar to pull a nail I had one student exclaim: “I didn’t know you could do that with a crowbar”; an experience that would have near blown my mind if a few weeks ago a teenage employee at a gas station had said how cool and awesome the flip down license plate hiding the gas tank in my car was and that they had never seen one before. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that cars have had these for at least 30 years. I sometimes take for granted the knowledge I have. It is a good reminder that as a teacher, I should never assume what anyone knows.

Once all the old teaching technology was torn down we could start putting up the new technology, as soon as we prepped and painted the walls. Luckily the SMART boards come with a good set of instructions. By now, with 7 SMART boards fully installed, and the 8th almost finished, I have drilled too many holes in cinder blocks, put up too many white boards and bulletin boards, reconnected too many computers, and set up too many projectors. I would like to thank all the teachers who helped in this process and an especially big thank you to Dan Boyle, our full time custodian here at Luseland School, for all his help.

Actually getting the SMART boards up and running is probably the easy part, now comes learning all the things that can be done with the SMART boards. The staff and students seem enthusiastic and eager to learn and use the boards so while this learning will take time, it shouldn’t be too bad. It gives me great hope that while we move into tomorrow and the future, and work with students who are often leaps ahead of us when it comes to technology, that the staff at Luseland School is enthusiastic about learning new technologies and adding new methods to their teaching repertoire. The labyrinth is getting a little more high tech. Although we could use a few more lights around here, it can be awful dark.

Deconstructing Technology

2009-03-03T22:21:00.000-08:00

If you were hoping this blog post was going to be some masterful analysis of technology in the classroom, I am sorry to mislead, but, well actually I chose the title so it was probably my intention to mislead a little. Anyway, when I say deconstructing technology I mean it literally. I am in the middle of a unit on computer technology with my Information Processing 20 class. I was able to get my hands on a few old computers and had the students tear them apart.

As an interesting side note I also brought a few, even older, computers from the scrap pile on my parents acreage. Despite the fact that all of these computers have been outside for 3-4 years, in the rain in the summer and buried in snow in the winter, the power supplies on all four computers started up. One computer booted up once, but when I tried again with a keyboard plugged in the power supply gave out, I think anyway. There is another computer that seems like it will work if I can find a keyboard old enough to plug into the computer. I also brought a selection of DVD players, VCR’s (the students were amazed at a top loading VCR which none had seen before) printers, and a few t.v’s. They all powered up and a few even worked. The one printer which I literally dug out of a foot of snow powered up and tried to load ink. I am completely amazed that this stuff worked at all after being exposed to so many elements.

I had students begin by hooking up a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse to make sure the computers worked, because if they worked at the beginning they should work after they pulled the computers apart and put it back together. After checking the computers and armed with vague instructions, a screwdriver and a digital camera the students started pulling the computers apart. The final product of this activity was a set of illustrated instructions, with a glossary on how to dismantle a computer. What I thought would take close to a full cycle of classes took a little over 2 classes. The students pulled the computers apart, taking pictures as they went, and put them back together and they all worked. One power supply died, but this was an excellent opportunity to teach students about the part most likely to die on their computer and a few ideas for testing to make sure it was the power supply and not the plug in; although we did have the advantage of having other computers to pull apart for another power supply to check if that was the problem. I hope that if any of the students ever need to replace a hard drive, a power supply, or CD or DVD Rom they will have gained enough confidence form this assignment to do so.

Afterwards the students set to work creating a set of instructions for dismantling a computer. To test the instructions the students created I had my grade seven Keyboarding class test them out. This was a great way to find any problems with the instructions, as this class had almost no idea what they were doing without the instructions, but were eager to be working in the shop. This testing worked wonderfully. It was an excellent way to find any poorly worded sections in the instructions. The next part of this unit will have the students trying their hands at installing an operating system, because it is generally only a matter of time before everyone has Windows crash on them.

This had been an amazing unit so far and the students are so engaged and enthusiastic to be doing something hands on and seeing the insides of that box that connects them to Facebook. With recharged spirits I reenter the labyrinth, hopeful that around the next corner is another ray of light and not that blasted Minotaur.

Crowded Labyrinth

2009-03-03T22:06:00.000-08:00

I was going to start this post saying I had a problem, but I don’t think it really is much of a problem, and even if it was a problem I’m sure it is a problem most schools wish they had. My shop is a little crowed right now with all the boxes for the 8 SMART boards the school just received. Actually between the SMART board boxes, the car, the piles of engine parts and the old computers lying around, the shop almost seems like a labyrinth sometimes, when trying to move around anyway.

Now begins the task of figuring out where in the 8 rooms that are getting the boards, the SMART boards are going to go, actually mounting the boards and projectors, and then getting all the necessary cables and such to hook everything up. Like I said a problem I think many wished they had, and maybe I just wanted to gloat a bit. I am also ecstatic about the fact that I am part of a staff that is so enthusiastic about this new technology and the possibilities it will bring to the class room. And when all the work is done I can use the empty boxes to build a fort to hide from the Minotaur.

R.I.P. Proxi

2009-02-05T21:46:00.000-08:00

It is with some sadness, and a few choked back tears, that I report the demise of the Proxima Desktop Projector 5100, or Proxi as she was known, that I found at the beginning of the year in the bowels of the server room for the Luseland School Computer Lab. It was not a sudden death. I had seen this coming for some time. The colour of the picture projected by Proxi had been diminishing and I knew it was only matter of time. That and the Minotaur stepped on it the other day. When I went to use the projector last week a jumble of colour, a brilliant rainbow actually, flashed on the projector screen and then went black. The projector as an overall unit did not go gently into that good night as I continued to use the projector for its speakers while finishing the movie I was showing that day.

When I found the projector I also found a spare bulb and hoped that it would work in the projector. When I tore the old girl apart it was soon apparent that the bulb I found was not for her and that this was truly the end. The uses of this old war horse are not done. Proxi, as she will ever be affectionately known, has joined the ever growing pile of old electronics in the shop I plan to use for some purpose … someday.

As is often true in life, each end brings a new beginning. Last week Proxi died, and this week the school’s new projector arrived. Only time will tell if “Dell”, so dubbed because of the lettering stenciled on his case can measure up to Proxi. Actually, I already know that Dell is better. With an excitement usually only seen at Christmas I tore open the box and looked through its contents. Students looked on with puzzled expressions as I marveled at the component video inputs and sleek remote.

I was able to use Dell on Thursday and was impressed by the fact that he takes up a quarter of the space Proxi did, is quieter, has a better picture, and can be used in a room with windows, Proxi only worked in a room that was near pitch black. One must keep moving forward in these tough times and embrace the future. While we are sad to see Proxi join the scrap heap, we heartily welcome Dell, sure to be a productive and valued member of the IT department at Luseland School. Now if only I can keep the Minotaur from kicking Dell as well.

Flicker Show

2008-12-20T22:41:00.000-08:00

No I didn’t misspell flicker, I don’t mean flickr, the website with all the photos. I was actually thinking of the scene from The Green Mile where Michael Duncan Clark’s character asks to see a flicker show, and since this post is about movies I thought it was the right title to use.

I discussed in an earlier blog about wanting to incorporate more visual media literacy into my classes, especially when and where I am showing movies. It has become a goal for my Health 8 class. While once again struggling with what to do with the middle years Health curriculum I came across a suggestion in the curriculum to read a book about one of the unit topics as a way to explore the topic. I loved this idea and went looking for the books the curriculum had listed, but I had trouble finding the books, which isn’t that surprising since it is hard to find most of the resources listed in the Health curriculum. While trying to find one of the books I stumbled across the fact that it had been made into a movie and moved onto the idea of using a movie. I was then tasked with finding a movie that would provide students with examples of peer support groups. I ended up using A Knight’s Tale, and it worked well. I came up with a simple handout explaining to the students what they should be looking for in the movie, and then a few discussion questions at the end. I made notes as we watched the movie and afterwards we spent a good portion of a class going over examples the students had found in the movie of peer support groups, and they found everyone that I had found and a few that I had never thought of. The students did an amazing job!

In retrospect I should have used The Goonies. Not only would it have been another great example, but it is a movie that kids should see, and because the movie is getting older, although still good, kids might not be watching it. Actually I really wanted to use Stand By Me; it may be the perfect example of peer support groups, and is about teenagers, but unfortunately it is rated R.

As a school, as part of a focus on empathy, different grades ended up watching different movies and doing something similar to what I had done in Health 8. With the grade 7 to 12’s we watched Mean Girls and I made up a similar handout as a basis for teachers to use for classroom discussion. Once again I would be discussing a movie with my Health 8 class. Once again I was impressed with their ability to watch and analyze a movie looking for specific things. I was also impressed with their understanding of empathy, which will hopefully transfer into student showing empathy. Again they found all the examples I had found and several I had not considered.

I have just finished another movie with my Health 8 class. This time the movie Hook for a unit on Family Roles, Responsibilities, and Structures. I am continually amazed by their willingness to analyze a movie in a way they might not want to analyze a short story, or a poem, or a novel. It is great to see that students possess the necessary skills to critically analyze a story. I just need to find a way to help transfer these skills from movies to an ELA classes. I had a student say that Health is one of her favourite classes because all we do is have group discussions and watch movies. I laughed to myself. On the surface it may seem like this is all we are doing, but I can see, or more importantly hear, from the discussions that we are having that they students are learning, they are thinking, and they want to do it. Maybe I’ve finally figured something out.

Having taught ELA there is sometimes a worry that students are not critical enough of what they are reading, but given the slightest push they have no problem thinking critically about what they are viewing. This gives me hope for delving more into movie literacy and seeing how far I take a group of grade 8 students in critical analysis. A labyrinth is dark, an excellent place to show movies, maybe it isn’t so bad in the labyrinth, if you have the right tools

I Once Was Lost, But Now Am Found

2008-12-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

I’ll apologize in advance for the length of this post. I would say it is almost too long, but it all needs to be said, for the post to make sense anyway.

I used the above line from the song Amazing Grace for two reasons. The first is that a few weeks ago I somehow found this song stuck in my head. While there is generally a lot of junk on You Tube I find it a good place to search for music; a song I heard a snippet of, a song I remember hearing once, or a song I heard on the radio. I can then listen to the song a few times and then decide if it is worth going out and actually buying an album with the song on it. Yes, I still buy albums. The sound quality is better than a pure digital copy, even if I usually just put the album onto my computer so it can then go on my iPod. Anyway, I went on You Tube to find a great version of Amazing Grace. In my head the song has all this meaning and power attached to it. Unfortunately I could not, during my first search attempt, find a version of the song on You Tube that matched what was in my head. I eventually did find a version that is as close to what I was looking for, or as likely as I am to find. It is by Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, and was in a clip from an episode of the show Mysterious Ways. The second is that this post has been in the works since near the end of October. Sometimes in writing this post, and in the process described in the post, I did feel lost, wondering if I would ever find the end. To me writing a post is like writing an essay: it needs to be written, rewritten, rewritten, maybe rewritten again and edited. It is a time consuming process, so was the process described in this post.

At the Living Sky School Division Technology meeting in October I talked to a few teachers about students playing games during classes in a computer lab. I have been using computer labs a lot since I started teaching and this has been a constant issue, a continuing question: should students be able to play games? Where do they get the idea they should get to play games? I walked away from the meeting with these questions rolling around in my head and decided to do something about it.

My first step was to look at the computer and internet policy at Luseland School. After looking, I got the bright idea that I would do some updating. This in itself is not a bad idea. I think with technology constantly changing that computer and internet policies, or more appropriately technology, computer, and internet policies should be constantly reviewed and perhaps changed. Then there was the more dull idea that I should write something for the policy about the playing of games in the computer lab. I’m not sure this was the right idea for what I was looking for. At the next staff meeting I mentioned this to the staff and got permission to use some other teacher’s class time to talk to classes I didn’t teach. I had decided that before I actually decided anything that I would sit down with every grade 7 to 12 class and talk about the playing of games at school. This idea, sitting down with students and talking about technology was the best idea to come out of this whole process. Students have different ideas about technology and they need to be heard; students have a lot of great ideas.

I asked the same general question to all groups and then moved to wherever their answers took the discussion. The first question was: “Where students got the idea that they should be able to play games on school computers?” There usual answer was to blame some other teacher. I then would ask them if they ask to play games in classes where they are not in the computer lab, and what do they do in any free time they have in other classes. This generally led to students saying that it was because they were in the computer lab, and had access to games, that they thought they should be playing games. This often led me to asking how was it fair that it was mainly my classes, which are often in the computer lab, where it is expected that they should be given time specifically for games. They often didn’t have an answer for this. It would seem the expectation to play games has been learned by students from past experiences. An expectation I hope to not be teaching in the future. Computers are so much more than a game console.

I also found out that students don’t have a lot of time for games on the computer at home. Either because they don’t have a lot of time on the computer at home, or they don’t have high speed internet, so it isn’t possible to play games, or they were too busy doing things, like going on Facebook, or MSN, that they cannot do at school. I don’t see why it becomes the responsibility of schools to provide time for online games to students. Students have access to computers before school and at noon in some of the classrooms that have pods, but a common complaint is that it is always the same students using the computers so there is not equal access to playing games, at school, on their own time.

An interesting side note: I have now taught at schools that use a content filter to block websites and schools that do not block websites and I have found there are fewer problems when websites are not blocked, or maybe it is the students at these schools have been taught more about using technology responsibly because websites were not blocked. This is something else essential. If we are even going to begin to prepare students for life after school, whatever that may be, we have to do more to teach them to use technology responsibly. We may not be able to prepare them for the specific technology they are to use, but if we can teach them to use technology responsibly, and be responsible in general, they will be better off. You cannot teach students to use technology if they do not have access to.

When students were asked for ideas about games in the computer lab students had lots of ideas, the main one being that they should be allowed. When asked why they often said as a reward for being good. My problem with this is that games as reward conditions students to expect a reward every hour when they were good, much like my dog who expects a treat every time she sits downs and lifts her paw. As a worker at a job, I get rewarded, but it is not so immediate. Are we setting students up for disappointment if they expect constant and immediate rewards? At some level I believe that school should prepare students for whatever awaits them after school and instant rewards is not going to do this.

One idea was for students to have more access to the computer lab at noon so that students have supervised access to games at school, but not during class time, and also have more time for completing work where they need computers. This is an idea that I hope to implement in the near future. I also brought forth the idea of giving students more responsibility. I would no longer waste my time telling students to stop playing games, or making students close games. I would give whatever instruction was necessary, give the next assignment or activity, and students would have time to work. If they choose to use their time to play games, they were also choosing to get poor marks, and maybe fail. This brings forth other issues: at what grade does this begin, what do I do with those grades to which this wouldn’t apply, what would the reaction of parents be. Would this work? I love the idea of making students more responsible, but not all students are ready for such responsibility. I like this answer but I don’t think I’m ready for it.

The most interesting idea that came out of these group discussions came from my Information Processing 10 class. We got sidetracked talking about technology in schools and soon enough were talking about cell phones. One student made the comment that if they are given free time to play games then why can’t that free time be used to use their cell phone, or to go on Facebook. She was absolutely right. There is no difference. If we are giving students free time, what is the difference between one potential time waster or another. Facebook and cell phones are not allowed for various reasons, but if Facebook and cell phones are not allowed and they are no different then games then why do I allow games. It also became clear that this wasn’t an issue that necessarily needed a section in our computer and internet policy. This was an issue with my teaching philosophy, and an issue that wouldn’t be easily resolved.

So what answer have I come up with; a couple of things actually. I have decided that for grades 9 and above there will be no playing games. By that I mean there will be no time where I say, you’ve been good, so you can play games. For those students who finish their assignments early there will be free time and they can do with it what they wish, as long as it falls within the technology policy. Students do end up with free time. I give a lot of work time to students, especially since not all of them have the same level of access to technology at home, so they need time at school. I don’t have a problem with this. Students have enough to do, especially in their core classes, without having homework in every class. The consequence of giving students lots of time is that you will always end up with students who are done before others and have free time. What they do with this free time is up to them. If they decide to use if to play games that is their choice, but they will not be given specific time to play games. This has consequences; I will have to be monitoring students work as it is finished and before it is assessed to make sure they are not rushing through their work so that they can play games. This is actually a good thing. It also means I have to do more to show students that there is better ways to use any free time they have, especially when they have internet access. There is a ton of information on the internet, on all sorts of topics. They should at least be using some time to explore the wealth of information out there. I’m not sure how this will work, but I do know that it is classroom policy that I am comfortable with.

For the grade 7’s and 8’s I teach they will occasionally get time to play games in class. I know that a cut off line for grades that get time to play games and grades that do not get to play games is a messy business. There is always the question of why not somewhere else. Where I have drawn this line today seems like the best place at this time. This is a line I see changing from year to year depending on the students. In the future I will definitely be letting students play fewer games to get them used to not playing, and games will hopefully disappear in higher grades

My last step actually looped back to my first step. After having discussions with all the 7-12 students I started playing around with the computer and internet policy. The first thing I did was change it to a technology policy. I tweaked it to make it a little simpler and to include all technology at school including iPods, cameras, and maybe one day cell phones. It was while re-reading the policy that I saw that an answer was always there. I was reading the section that at first glance I thought didn’t really cover the issue of games. It says that students are not supposed to playing games without teacher permission. Of course there are consequences for not following the policy, and the policy was agreed to by all teachers. The answer I was searching for was in front of me all along. If students are playing games when they have not been given permission they suffer the consequences. If they can’t use technology responsibly then they can’t use technology at all and are removed from computer use for a set period of time. This may be a tough penalty for playing games, and students have voiced such an opinion, but I believe that there needs to be tough consequences for the misuse of technology because there can be harsh consequences for the misuse of technology outside of school and students need to realize this. Computers, the internet, and all technology can be wonderful tools, but at the same time can cause a lot of trouble and these tools need to be used responsibility, and I think, I hope, that tough rules and educating students about using technology responsibility will help students. I’m not sure if this is the best answer to the questions I started with, but this. along with the previous 2 paragraphs. is the best answer for the time being.

So did I waste my time when the answer was somewhat in front of me? I don’t think so. This entire process has been a worthwhile exercise. It helped me update the technology policy for the better, but more importantly it gave me a chance to sit down and talk to students about their use of computers. It was worth hearing their views of technology and what they think about how technology at school should be used. I can see where I would like to get to technology wise in a school, now I just need to figure out how to get there.

I’m still wandering, so I guess I am still lost, but then again, like I said in my last post, not all those that wander are lost. But I was never blind, I can see, a little light around the corner, maybe I’ll walk towards it. That’s the important thing: to keep moving forward; I don’t care, I’m still free, you can’t take my tunnel from me (if you have ever seen a show called Firefly and/or a movie named Serenity this will make sense). On to the next obstacle in my labyrinth.

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost.

2008-12-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

I attended another meeting of the Living Sky School Division Technology Committee today. I wonder, if I am wandering in a labyrinth how do I get out for meetings? Anyway, it was a very useful meeting that had us looking at the concept of the networked student (which will be explored more at another time) and on creating some sort of universal digital citizenship curriculum. I found this very useful as I have been looking at creating some sort of lessons on digital citizenship to go along with a revamped computer, internet, and technology and a possible new cell phone policy. Hopefully I can take some of the ideas from today to point me in the right direction. The discussions today also helped clarify what falls under digital citizenship and what falls under classroom management in a computer lab. I think that teaching students about digital citizenship can be one of the essential skills we can be providing students with as they move out into a world that uses more and more technology, and which can be even more confusing then the world once was because of all that technology. Back to the labyrinth, I’m not sure how I got out or how I got back in, if I could figure it out maybe I could stop my wandering, maybe, Tolkien said not all those who wander are lost..

The Death of Education and the Dawn of Learning

2008-10-16T22:50:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching Stephen Heppell’s Pre Conference Keynote speech for the K12 Online Conference 2008. There are so many great ideas that it is slightly overwhelming, especially when I see that I would love our education system to be at the place he is talking about, and at the same time realizing that there are hundreds of steps between where we are and where he is talking about. I want to know what the steps are so we can start moving there. I think the video is something I will need to find time to watch again to really process everything.

There were two things that excited my imagination. The first was some questions, I drew out of his discussion, to pose to students which I hope will give me something to talk about here later. And second was something he said at the end, or my paraphrasing of it: “we are seeing the death of education and the dawn of learning”. I am reminded of the quote from Mark Twain about never letting his schooling interfere with his education. I think this is the key, where I want to get to at some point, we shouldn’t be just educating students we should teaching them, no showing them, and modeling for them how to learn and to instill a desire and passion for life long learning. I know I always hear about life long learning and I hope that I am helping build life long learners, but in the worry over following curriculum, covering objectives, and a dozen other things that are connected with teaching or that I have been made to believe are important, maybe they are not, that focusing on learning and not educating, and on helping developing life long learners seems to be a goal that I worry I never get to. A goal that there never seems to be time for, but that needs to be reached so that if education dies, we are already learning and we are not lost in the decaying labyrinth of a system that no longer works, with no idea how to get out. I was worried for a while that I wouldn’t be able to make, yet another, reference to the title of my blog.

Spark of Light in the Tunnels

2008-10-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

I attended my first Living Sky School Division Technology Committee meeting today. I went with one purpose in mind: to discover, or hear, or see something that would light a fire of passion for teaching computers, or as I heard today: not teaching computers but utilizing technology in the classroom. I teach Information Processing, which in theory you could teach without computers, but in today’s technologically driven society we teach Information Processing using computers, using technology. I’m not sure there is a full fledge fire going but I heard enough ideas, saw enough cool things and was part of a few discussions that I am moving in a positive direction. There is fuel for the fire where before there was just a pondering if I had enough good ideas to teach computers/information processing; enough passion and enthusiasm to do any justice to the subject and for the students. I hope I can start moving in the right direction, to fan the flames, and I hope if I keep the fire going I will have more to post. That small spark makes it much easier to navigate the labyrinth. I am no longer contemplating huddling in the corner and crying, not that I would actually do that, you need to always keep moving forward, sometimes it’s the only way to survive. Alright I’m done, I’m rambling.

Wandering the Labyrinth

2008-09-23T23:55:00.000-07:00

In the bowels of the server room for the Luseland Computer Lab, I found an old projector; a Proxima Desktop Projector 5100 to be exact, although desktop is misleading as it is about 4 times the size of the projectors usually in schools today and pumps out enough heat to heat a small room. It also requires near pitch black conditions to project a picture that you can see. With a little playing around I have got it working and have been using it to show movies, and have even managed to get a laptop to work with, the sound from the one speaker is also surprisingly good.

It may be old but I have it on a cart and can wheel it from class to class. This is the technology I am most comfortable with. Audio and visual technology that is, not old technology, although I have spend time playing around with old black and white televisions (which have great sound for their age), looking for a good, brand name, used 8-track player, and listening to vinyl records, because there is nothing like the sound of a vinyl record (this should almost be the only way to listen to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon). I also keep playing with the idea of setting up my Commodore 128 (and 5.25 disk drive, tape drive, dot matrix printer, and colour monitor) as some sort of history of technology exhibit. Maybe it is my love of old technology (and cars) that makes me so reluctant to utilize new technology to its fullest. That whole "if it ain't broke don't fix it idea", or in my case if what you are doing works, why change, even if change would be for the better; I just can’t let go of the past, technologically that is.

Found side tunnel: I once had a professor in university who described the typewriter as the perfect piece of technology (or he was paraphrasing someone who said this). The reasoning being that the typewriter made writing easier, but didn’t take any jobs away from humans. I don’t think I agree, but I sure like the sound of the idea, but I think that may be the paranoid fool speaking again. Back to main tunnels.

At least I have a portable projector know, because after showing movies on SMART boards and projector screens last year it seems cruel and unusual punishment to try and make an entire class of students watch a movie on a television. While I never show a movie without a purpose or accompanying activity I am hoping to incorporate more visual media literacy into any class where I show a movie because I think students, actually everyone, needs to be critical of what they are watching, and what they are viewing. I may be slow in implementing internet technology in my classes but I think there is not enough being done with critical viewing and that is one way I can prepare students for the technological age they are living in.

Opening Volley

2008-09-10T00:36:00.000-07:00

I’ve managed to combine my interest in mythology and using slightly misleading titles to describe myself into one fantabulous blog title. Sidebar: in an Ed Foundations class when we were asked our religion I said I was a heathen and a pagan, because it is sort of true and it sounds cool, much like luddite, although the best answer may have been: non practicing atheist.

I’m just starting to scratch the surface of technology in the classroom, and I guess to some extend in my life. I guess it depends on your definition of technology. When I think of technology in the classroom, I generally only think of computers and the internet. Is using a projector instead of a television to show a movie technology; is using a projector hooked up to a computer instead of an overhead projector, or blackboard technology? It is a limited use of technology, and really just doing old things in a new way, it is not really anything new, but it is a small step in the direction of technology in the class room. Why am I reluctant to say: in the right direction?

I’m not a complete luddite. There is lots of technology I use on a regular basis and quite enjoy. Maybe there is difference between technology in life, and technology in the classroom. I love my DVD player and its high quality picture and sound, rarely go a day without listening to music on my ipod or from itunes on my computer, and will spend hours playing around with video and audio devices. I wish I had access to a projector hooked up to a computer, hooked up top the network all the time. I see the internet as a source of much information but that’s where the usefulness of the internet has traditionally ended for me, although Amazon is great for buying hard to find music and movies. At some point I no longer see technology as useful, and maybe to some extend see it as unnecessary, maybe not the right word, maybe excessive, I don’t know how to describe it.

I have been to this point been weary of communication through the internet, I still am weary, and I think this is the direction that using technology in the classroom is moving. On some levels it makes sense, my weariness that is. I have heard the telephone described as one of the greatest inventions, yet I have never been fond of the telephone. I still refuse to get a cell phone, if I don’t like the phone attached to the wall why would I want to carry one with me. It is too impersonal, you can hear the other person, but can’t see them; you loose the physical aspect of communication. I have always said that the telephone should only be used to set up a time and place to meet with a person and then talk to them. Talking to someone face to face, where you can see them and hear them seems the best way to communicate, as far as I am concerned. This has always made email problematic for me. Part of it is, for me anyway, is it is like sending a mini essay; it needs to proofread multiple times to make sure it grammatically correct. The main problem is that it is just words, you can’t tell what the person is feeling and in some cases what they really mean. How many times have I read an email reading way too much meaning from a sentence when it probably means exacting what it says, no hidden meaning intended? Thinking about it more I should be all for internet communication, because the internet and webcams make virtual meetings possible, now I can see and hear people from all over the world. Virtual communication removes all the problems I have with telephones and email. So why am I so reluctant to embrace change? I suppose part of it is my personality. I don’t mind change sometimes, and in most cases I am eager to try to incorporate more technology in my classes. I may not always see a need for it, but see that it is a major part of people’s lives now. Maybe it is I don’t want to be at the forefront of change; someone else can figure it out, then I’ll get on board.

The other problem is that I can be a paranoid fool who has watched too many movies about the evils of technology. I often joke that anti-lock brakes are the first step towards us being plugged into the Matrix, so using the internet to communicate is an even bigger step. I don’t know why I have this paranoid worry that one day all this technology will be gone and then all the technological skills I have learned will be useless (I am reminded of the scene from the movie The Day After Tomorrow where the one character worries that all time she has spent on an academic decathlon, and preparing for college, has been preparation for a future that no longer exists) yet spending hours tearing apart cars and rebuilding them is useful, because it is also creative problem solving. I have no doubt there is problem solving involved in working with technology and the internet. Actually it is the internet I have a mental block with. I have no problem with non internet technology. It really is a huge mental block. I’ve recognize it from other situations, but recognizing it and doing something to change is another thing. I don’t have an answer only questions and musings.

Maybe this Technology Committee and the processes I will go through this year will help answer these questions or change my point of view. I need to remember to have an open mind, which I think I can do. I’m not sure, writing this has taken too long, I just keep coming up with more questions and wondering what am I doing. My train of thought has derailed, many times. I’m lost in the labyrinth; with no string to guide me back out. I hope I don’t run into a Minotaur.

First Post

2008-09-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is my first entry just to get started. I'm sure I will have lots to add in the near future.