Wolf Technology

I can honestly say that I am amazed at the changes that Sitka High School has made in the past ten years. As most of you know, I graduated from Sitka High (Go Wolves!) in 1997; I sat through Baz Luhrmann's "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" in the then-new gymnasium, and waited to exit the building forever. Now, I'm back.
Aside from making bad music and clothing choices (not to ignore the makeup and hair), the students of ten years ago dealt with dial-up connections and 35 mm film cameras.
Oh jeeze!
Sitka High is trying its best to keep up with new waves of technology and, I admit, they are doing a pretty good job. The students have active support in their technology training and do have resources available to them. It is expected by all that students act responsibly and respectfully when it comes to computer use and equipment handling.
My one major critique is that there are a number of old-skool (yup, that's right) teachers that refuse to touch technology with a ten-foot pole. I'm not naming any names, but they know who they are.

Oh yes ... here is the link to my most fascinating technology report. I walked to the ends of the earth for some of this information; I dueled Monsters of the Deep, fell into the Bog of Eternal Stench, and scaled the Cliffs of Insanity. It was worth it though ... yes it was.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhszrc27_4gswsxj

Listen to the Natives

Hillary Seeland
hillary.seeland@gmail.com
18 September 2007

"Listen to the Natives"
Marc Prensky


It is time to renovate the traditional school setting. If teachers care about the current and future education of their students, they must open their ears to the voices around them. The 21st century's technological climate where we find ourselves is vastly different from the era in which we were schooled. Modern students are well versed in the gathering of information and are able to access said information with the click of a button. The outcome of such rapid growth and change nullifies traditional methods of instruction that are no longer interesting or engaging. Consequently, the gap between school and "the world outside of school" grows continually larger. Marc Prensky, the author of "Listen to the Natives," identifies simple (and not-so-simple) strategies that educators can adopt in an effort to effectively engage in learning alongside modern students.

• Digital natives vs. digital immigrants
• Teachers must practice putting engagement before content
• Adaptivity and connectivity are where digital technology will have its greatest impact
• The vital importance of the cell phone
• Programming is the key skill for 21st century literacy
• Listen to the students
• Educators must make room for 21st century subject matter

My struggle in responding to this article has nothing to do with its content and everything to do with the tag line for a soap opera: Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.

It is scary to think about how quickly human beings evolve. From my perspective, the recent advancements in technology have created a mass information movement that reads like a science fiction novel. No matter which way you look at it, there is no sitting still. The only way that it is justified for those of us in education to dig our heels into the shag carpeting of our Nirvana lives, is if nuclear war annihilates everyone outside of Alaska and we actually do take up residence in igloos.

I do not want to live in an igloo; I hate being cold. I also hate the idea of becoming completely disconnected from my students. The points that Prensky makes in his article are uncomfortable and challenging for me to wrap my mind around, but I believe that his vision is the one that educational institutions need to look forward to (literally).

2015

Podcasts. The word just sitting there on the blank screen makes me anxious. Everything does these days, I suppose.

Now that the screen isn't blank anymore, perhaps I can explore this issue in more depth.

I can imagine a classroom where children are not taught by work books and sheets created by PhDs in far off places under fluorescent lights, in little cubicles, eating Lean Cuisine hot from the microwave. They, instead, are listening to a podcast of a live actor reciting a soliloquie on stage at the Shakespeare festival in Ashland, Oregon. They can listen to an author talk about his / her text or someone else's text, for that matter.

I am exausted by fill-in-the-blanks and D.O.L. and I have only been in the classroom for a week. Give me fresh. Give me new. Give me a world outside of this building and outside of this town where inspiration lies waiting.

Futuring

Hannah and Her Fox Project

My General Reactions

I loved it. Though a wee bit nervous, Hannah was able to perform her story with ease, grace, and humor. I giggled through the "little bug" scene and felt all warm and gooey when fox finally learned to be a better person.

• Fine example of personification fox = person

The use of technology in this project was simple and effective; it created not only a wonderful film to share with family and friends but a fantastic tool for Hannah to self-critique.

Questions I Heard Bouncing Around in My Skull

• When is the last time anyone saw a full grown yellow duck?

School / Train

My General Reactions

My scalp is bleeding because I tore all my hair out. As the children moved around in circles and made funny faces at the camera, I could not help but wonder ...

• What's the point of this project?

I can think of a thousand interesting, fun, multi-faceted ways to assess whether children understand what a metaphor is. School is like a train ... I get it. Fourth graders should get it just as easily as I do. Asking children to create this project ... oh wait ...

• Did the children really create this project?

requires no higher order of thinking on their part nor does it seem to have any further purpose. The music and images are so repetitive and base that I was forced to step back from the computer for fear that I would put my fist through the monitor.