FINAL does not always mean THE END

I was at my gym a few days ago describing my Literacy and Technology class to a friend. She is a staff member in a high school so was interested when I began describing digital natives vs digital immigrants. I said," I can speak and understand most of the language. I am definitely a digital native and my "accent" is becoming less noticeable, but I think it will always be there". She replied, "Well, I am a digital ignorant."


Several years ago I felt the same way. When I began my graduate courses I broke out into a cold sweat when, to use my time efficiently, I had to type a paper without pre-writing it by hand. It was a colossal effort. Now, I can't compose my thoughts unless I have a keyboard in front of me and thesaurus.com in the next window. As classes flew by, I became more adept at using Microsoft Word and other software. However, the WWW and Internet (I have learned they are two different entities) was a terrifying mystery. I saw it's value if only for research. I would never consider allowing students to blog with the outside world for fear of litigation in case something happened. If anyone ever mentioned that I would consider technology such as IPods or cell phones as beneficial tools in a classroom, I would have called the men in the white coats and insist they take that person away in a nondescript van with pads on the inside walls and shiny, white bars on the windows.

I currently work in a high school library. I am now not only thinking about using technology in my own future classroom but with my present students. Wait....did you hear that? It sounded like a howling dog being dipped in boiling oil. Oh, I know. I just suggested that IPod be used in the classroom for learning. That pitiful, enraged sound is my co-workers voicing their displeasure. They already think I am a crazy liberal. This will really send them off the deep end.


I would like to use a podcast in conjunction with the printed school paper to engage those students who are not strong readers and allow our multi-tasking digital natives to hear their news and do their homework at the same time. It would like to teach the school reporters to use higher order thinking to decide which stories to cover, how to present the news and be aware that what they do and say can have an impact in areas other than our school. As a former photo journalist, I hope they will feel the power of the press (blogging, twitter, texting) to create a community and inspire a desire to get involved with the school and outside community. Education is not just in the school building anymore.


I recently read an article about using cell phones and texting in a classroom. Cell phones in school were something that I previously opposed. The article described what would happen if a teacher gave students 10 minutes to text someone else and ask them several pre-determined questions. Extra credit was given if the other person was in another country. After I read the article my first thought was, what a great way to encourage writing with an authentic audience. A student can learn about other cultures, our culture and differing points of view. They can defend their own opinions, start a discussion, chart results like a poll and perhaps later change their opinion or discover why the other person has their beliefs based on research they did on-line. They can evaluate the sources and where the people they first texted get their information. The possibilities are endless.

I know that many of us will run into a negative technology sentiment in many of our schools. The teacher's traditional adversary, TIME plays a large part in the bad feelings about technology. However, I also know that I am armed with research and several inspiring videos that I can bring to my principal and hopefully get a presentation together to bring the faculty over to "the bright, light blue light".


This class is coming to an end but my learning is not. I still need to learn more about podcasting before I bring the idea to the school. I want to learn more about the SmartBoard and other uses for the IPod and cell phones in the classroom. I also want to thank Dr. Ludmilla Smirnova for her enthusiasm and for gently nudging me to the edge of exploration and allowing me to create my own lessons and learning. (She actually tossed me off the cliff head first, but I am an adrenaline junkie so I enjoyed it. This is my final post for this class but it is not the end. To read more of my opinions and other assorted information, go to my brand new personal blog at http://marciafigueroa3467.wordpress.com/