Is there a problem here?

Is there a problem here?

A preliminary look at a survey found nearly 50 percent of faculty respondents familiar with social networking technologies, including blogs, MySpace, and Facebook, say such technologies "have or will change the way students learn." Curiously, however, about two-thirds of faculty respondents also said they do not feel social networking will have an effect on how they teach—or are at least uncertain if it will. Thomson Releases Survey on Faculty and Use of Social Networks from Library Journal Academic Newswire (and stolen from  Abrams' Stephen's Lighthouse blog).

From the Pew report "A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users." (Also stolen from Abram's blog.)

Where are you on the chart? Where is you staff? Where are your students??? (I'd rate myself in the Lackluster Veteran category.)

And since I am just totally ripping Mr. Abram off, he also cites Henrik Edberg's discussion of 9 Mistakes That Can Kill Your Personal Growth on the Positivity Blog:.

1. Thinking you already know everything
2. Being confused by the marketing hype
3. Not taking action
4. Giving up
5. Worrying about/listening to what others think
6. Dabbling with it
7. Having unreasonable expectations
8. Failing to/not wanting to (at least start to) understand yourself
9. Not taking responsibility for yourself
   

I knew this already.

Oh wait, see number one in the list.

Never mind. I had a Personal Growth once, but went to the doctor and had it removed.

Comments

[Josh205]

I am a college student, looking to graduate in 2009 with an ED degree. Just recently I have been grasping the importance that technology has in the classroom and the effect it has on student learning. I know that tools like blogs, MySpace, and Facebook are overwhelmingly used by K-12 and college students. The statistic you gave at the beginning of your post is shocking, yet understandable. Teachers know what the future holds for education and the path by which it will follow, but are scared, I think, of accepting it and using social networking technologies to their advantage. There is an odd pause that takes place between students and teachers in this area, similar to two people standing on an elevator: each one knows the other is there but they do their best to not make eye contact and, of course, never move in the other person’s direction.

Most teachers and students view these new trends as "non-school" activities. Students don't expect their teachers to be looking at their blog postings and teachers don’t really care about what is being said on the postings. I'm taking an online course right now titled “Computers In Education” and am amazed at how effective technology can be in education. I see it as being really powerful. But yet, there remains a large, large gap between the online society and education. It is a shame. Worse yet, I'm not sure how to close that gap. The truth still stands that technology (including teacher aid technology) is increasingly going to have an affect on the way students learn and the way teachers teach. I’m interested to see how it all unfolds.

[Kenn Gorman]

I commend you for your interest in becoming a teacher...and that you are interested in using technology (even thought the phrase "using technology" is very broad and often vague). I also agree with you that there is a huge gap between on-line society and education. My assumption with most teachers NOT using more technology is that it is an addition, not a replacement. Most teachers, I believe, would like to add technology, but it would not replace anything...there would still be Scantron tests, homework, class hours, office hours, grading paper assignments, etc. If we could replace something we are currently doing, many teachers would change right now.