Comments on: Exciting times for education. http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/ Education and Technology by Steve Dembo Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:13:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Lori A http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-107441 Lori A Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:33:02 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-107441 So get your rest for a few weeks, see you at IL-TCE - and you can share your knowledge with IL teachers and keep those converstations going. So get your rest for a few weeks, see you at IL-TCE - and you can share your knowledge with IL teachers and keep those converstations going.

]]> By: Beth Knittle http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-107227 Beth Knittle Sat, 16 Feb 2008 21:24:45 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-107227 I too have felt pessimistic, but over the last year or so I have been able to see progress in my district and neighboring ones. EduCon 2.0 reminded me there are educators out there striving for excellence, and working with new tools and strategies to foster learning. These teachers are sharing not only with those in the networked community but with the teachers down the hall. Over time these pockets of excellence shall spread. I am just hoping they spread quickly. I too have felt pessimistic, but over the last year or so I have been able to see progress in my district and neighboring ones. EduCon 2.0 reminded me there are educators out there striving for excellence, and working with new tools and strategies to foster learning. These teachers are sharing not only with those in the networked community but with the teachers down the hall. Over time these pockets of excellence shall spread. I am just hoping they spread quickly.

]]> By: Jeffrey Branzburg http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-107014 Jeffrey Branzburg Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:37:22 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-107014 Hi Steve My question always is, how do we make it viral? Yes, at conferences or other gatherings of like-minded people we encounter those who are doing exciting things, or who are interested in doing so. But those hundreds or thousands are still a vast minority. Whenever I work with groups of teachers I ask them "how many have heard of blogs" and "how many have read, written or commented on a blog." While by far most have heard of blogs, usually only 1 or 2 out of 30-40 have read, written or commented. This happens every time. And that's just blogs, not wikis, podcasts, etc. How do we reach the tipping point? And when? Seems to me that by the time the majority of teachers are ready to adopt new tech ideas, those ideas are 2 or 3 generations behind. Consider PowerPoint. Most who have never used a blog have used PowerPoint. And Web 2.0? Most have not evolved beyond Web 0.5 or Web 1.0. But maybe that's just the natural evolutionary process. Too bad we can't get some intelligent design going. Hi Steve

My question always is, how do we make it viral? Yes, at conferences or other gatherings of like-minded people we encounter those who are doing exciting things, or who are interested in doing so. But those hundreds or thousands are still a vast minority. Whenever I work with groups of teachers I ask them “how many have heard of blogs” and “how many have read, written or commented on a blog.” While by far most have heard of blogs, usually only 1 or 2 out of 30-40 have read, written or commented. This happens every time. And that’s just blogs, not wikis, podcasts, etc. How do we reach the tipping point? And when?

Seems to me that by the time the majority of teachers are ready to adopt new tech ideas, those ideas are 2 or 3 generations behind. Consider PowerPoint. Most who have never used a blog have used PowerPoint. And Web 2.0? Most have not evolved beyond Web 0.5 or Web 1.0.

But maybe that’s just the natural evolutionary process. Too bad we can’t get some intelligent design going.

]]> By: Robert Rowe http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-106969 Robert Rowe Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:43:56 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2008/02/14/exciting-times-for-education/#comment-106969 Thanks for writing this! Our first teacher inservice day this school year, we were warned of the dangers of social networking, and blogging, and essentially advised against it. So, I feel there's a silent fear amongst our faculty. Many of us DO blog, and network regularly. Hopefully, our projects and use of these great new tools will prove their validity in education. Thanks for writing this!
Our first teacher inservice day this school year, we were warned of the dangers of social networking, and blogging, and essentially advised against it.
So, I feel there’s a silent fear amongst our faculty. Many of us DO blog, and network regularly. Hopefully, our projects and use of these great new tools will prove their validity in education.

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