It took me awhile to come up with the title for this blog. I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to go with the title. I had a vision for what I wanted the blog to be- reflections and thoughts on my attempts to integrate technology into my classroom- but I wasn't sure what title best captured that sense. I wanted it to be something catchy and clever, and ultimately I'm not sure I succeeded in being either. Perhaps you'll think the title more clever once you understand where I was coming from.
The idea behind "digital" in the title is pretty straightforward. This blog's focus is my integration of technology into the classroom, and digital describes the way computers store and transmit information. Since computers are digital devices the term digital seemed to be a good fit (though interestingly enough, smoke signals and the abacus are also digital systems)
The notion of sustainability is borrowed from my experience and interest with environmental science. In that realm, sustainability is the idea of being able to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. It's a way of thinking about development, natural resources, and consumption that shifts the focus from only worrying about what we're doing today to concern about future generations as well.
In the context of this blog, the idea of sustainability refers to integrating technology into the classroom in a feasible manner. I'd like to avoid hypothetical situations and focus on methods that I could actually carry out. I'm not interested in technology integration that would take expansive amounts of time, huge budgets, or that have unrealistic expectations of the teacher or student.
Technology is here to stay. Teachers need to start utilizing the tools available through the internet and computer usage. Districts and administrators need to start allocating budgets with that future in mind.
Here's a couple posts that I've seen recently that resonate with some of the ideas I've expressed above:
- VoiceThread Publishing Example (from Moving at the Speed of Creativity via Wired Librarian): A great example of a tool actually being used in the classroom. I'd been playing with the idea of having my students use VoiceThread in my Physics class, and this post really solidified how I could make it work.
- Two Million Minutes- A call for educational change (from Moving at the Speed of Creativity, again): While not necessarily about specific methods of technology integration, Wes Fryer very thoroughly expounds on the necessity of creating technologically integrated classrooms today. I wholeheartedly agree. Twenty years from now is too late. The future is here, who wants in?
- I Can't Make Educational History- But We Can (from Beyond-School) : The class described might be a little beyond my technological means (it's a 1:1 school), but I'm constantly impressed with the things Clay Burell is attempting with his students. My hope is that efforts like his will show the power of full, fearless integration. We need more positive examples like this to convince the naysayers.
Glad you pegged the gist behind what, in retrospect, seems a title open to megalomaniacal connotations. I want to "make history" by pushing the open integration in "sustainable" ways, and also networked ways, that I hope will have value for educators everywhere who need persuasive examples of what is possible.
My fear, right now, is this, though: that even the people who read me don't get that "sustainable" ease of the networked learning model I'm trying to create (ie, labor-NON-intensive, "unschooly," "realistic...expectations of teachers and students," in your words).
And if they don't get it, my experiment fails. Because I'm depending on my network to help it succeed.
In other words, I fear the network puts on its schooly lenses when it reads about networking with students, and envisions all the rubrics and lesson plans and grading and time-consuming stuff that is precisely what we don't bother with in our own networked learning.
Ach, I'm rushing and disorganized here - at school, lunchtime - so sorry for the jumble.
Enjoying your writing very much.
Just a thought...think less about integrating technology and more about what changes you want to see in student learning then apply the best tools for the job. I think that's the direction that Clay Burrell is more or less headed in.
@Clay: The relative ease with which your networked learning model can be implemented hasn't been lost on me. I also feel that unnecessary grading & "rubricization" focuses students more on earning the grade than serious learning. My dilemma is that there is a big focus on learning being "measurable." While I am sure there will be ample evidence of learning in your networking project, many higher-ups like to use standardized tests to assess learning- which is not a good tool to measure most authentic learning. I guess what I'm getting at is I wonder if there's a middle ground to take that might persuade admin skeptics to support a non-traditional class such as yours. Or...is there no acceptable middle ground? Part of "sustainable" for me is a plan that would be supported (or at least allowed). Thanks for the compliment, I appreciate your participation!
@Diane: Perhaps I should clarify a little. I do not feel that technology is the only tool for student learning. I have implemented many projects that require no direct technology (mousetrap cars, pipe insulation roller coasters, etc.) that I feel are excellent and real paths to student learning. However, I feel that at this point in my career I have developed a mastery of that format. I see the inclusion of technology as a huge tool that I don't feel I'm using to its full potential. Also, the current landscape in education isn't totally in support of some internet-based tools (read: blogs, wikis, twitter, etc.), while I easily get wide support for implementing more traditional projects.