Hello Blogger!
You must feel that I've abandoned you.
Actually, I have.
It must seem to you like I've left you sitting here gathering internet dust. Whatever harm you think I've done to you, I've really only done to myself. You've served as a venue for me to bring all my random thoughts together so that I can make sense out of them, which allows me to explain them better to others.
Here are some current thoughts.
I think we've come a great distance with education and technology in the past few years. At least the idea of using technology in responsible ways to achieve the highest levels of learning is now commonplace...in theory. Even if educators aren't using technology, most educators aren't afraid of it as much as they used to be. That is a huge step forward.
However, I continue to see in some educators the idea that digital or online education is inferior to classroom contact. From my experience, I think the student experience of a class has more to do with the individual educator than the content delivery itself.
In the 21st century, what seems to impact students most, is engagement with an educator, or engagement directed by an educator. Hands down, an engaged educator wins every time. An engaged educator beats easy to use, stimulating, seamless, fancy technology every single time. This on the surface seems almost counter-intuitive, especially with adaptive and intelligent technologies. But, even a MOOC isn't good if there isn't an involved educator promoting thoughtful consideration of the topic to the participants.
I've always felt that the most difficult dimension of educational technology is to change the culture...to change the minds...to move from an old, solid, framework to a more flexible, interpretive design of an educational system. But, it is difficult for people to even see our educational system as a "framework" because nobody thinks beyond it. "It just is"..."every child is entitled to it"..."we all deserve to be educated." Often the thoughts end there.
My big fat revolutionary plan of action is to continue to design high quality, engaging content that draws students to the material and taps into every person's innate desire to gain knowledge and improve...for now. There is surely more to come.
Hang in there, Blogger. I'll be back. :)
