Transitional technologies
Monday, February 1, 2010 at 05:41PM 
What did the snail say riding on the turtle's back? Wheeeeeeeeee!
This morning we did inservices for about 150 elementary teachers on GoogleDocs. Taught by our computer coordinator, our library media specialists and myself (those who got the short straw), we spent about an hour and a half:
- Explaining why one would want to use GoogleDocs (ease of use, ubiquitous access, ability to share, co-editing, cost savings etc.)
- Demonstrating 10 GoogleDoc basics.
- Playing "guide on the side" for about 45 minutes while teachers completed a task requiring the use of GoogleDocs.
The vibes were very positive. I was pleased. You could just see the little light bulbs popping on over lots of teachers' heads. A very fun morning.
Oh, the certificate for Continuing Education Units (needed for recertification in MN) was available ONLY as a GoogleDoc template. I think this is called competency-based assessment.
There are certain technologies that hit sort of a "sweet spot" for teachers. GoogleDocs seems to be one. Interactive whiteboards, another.*
I think of these as transitional technologies. Ways of doing stuff with computers and such that move teachers toward a different reality without totally changing their reality all at once. The new stuff looks enough like the old stuff to not make people too nervous. But the new stuff really does change things whether teachers realize it or not.
We can talk about Vygotsky's Proximal Development Theory but let's not, other than to say it holds as true for adults as it does for kids. The expression "You can't leap a chasm in two bounds" seems to be sort of a mantra of our radical change gurus. I would say that you can't get a lot people to "leap" the chasm at all, and that our job as librarians and tech specialists should be to build bridges across that chasm.
Not to push teachers and just hope they can fly.
I feel our district moves at a snail's pace in changing how we do business using technology, especially when it comes to making the classroom a more engaging environment that meets the needs of all kids. But I do take small consolation knowing that at least we are moving.
* Yes, I know the critics of IWB are out there. Now that we have installed over 300 of them throughout the district, I get these little anonymous photocopies of an opinion piece in Teacher magazine. Come'on people - have the cojones to talk to me!
Reader Comments (8)
Not sure how many GoogleDocs trainings I've done to date, but the vibe is always good around the sessions. GoogleDocs is one of those programs that sells itself. Teachers can see right away how it could save them time in planning, and working on team documents. More and more teams of teachers at our school are using GoogleDocs, and now that we have have one click access via Moodle (our main portal to learning) it's even easier. Next, I'd like to see teachers start to collaborate on documents with students, we're not there yet, but then again we've only had the program this school year. By next August I think we'll be using GoogleDocs on many different levels at our school. It really is an amazing program when you think what it can do.
I'm with you Doug. We learn about so many new technology tools and lessons at conferences, in webinars and by reading blogs like this one, but it can be overwhelming. I feel good if I can incorporate 1 or 2 new things a year and get them going really well. I'm conducting my own version of Joyce Valenza et al's "Web 2.0 Smackdown" (from the AASL conference) for my faculty on Friday. Should be fun!
I like the comment about "transitional technologies" - the new stuff looking like the old stuff. I think this is why Smart Boards have been so accepted (even though my experience is that most teachers see it as an expensive whiteboard).
I am looking at the possibility of adding net books to my curriculum since the entire school has a very powerful wireless network - but that would mean students would be working outside of the classroom (in the halls, in the cafe, outside) and that might be too different.
By the way - this works well with swim lessons...start the kids in the shallow end where they have been before, and then move to the deep end...
I'm glad the classes went so well, and I love the opening quote. (At least, I assume it's a quote and, if so, would like to know where it's from.)
"competency-based assessment" - priceless! Google Docs are indeed a good entry level technology tool. My own children, those "digital natives" we discuss so frequently, became believers when I showed them how to simplify wedding planning via a shared document.
Sometimes, Doug, slow change is the most successful, as it guarantees more buy in from stakeholders. Sometimes a too-rapid change leaves details in the dust, leads to frustration. Your school system is lucky to have a leader like you to guide them through these changes.
Hi Jeff,
Nice hearing from you!
This looks like a winner for our district too. I am trying to put out templates and district event calendars and other useful bits to get teachers into the site as well. It's always a challenge to convince people that a bit of upstream time spent will result in a ton of downstream cost savings.
All the best to you and your colleagues in ISB!
Doug
Hi Cheri,
Good luck with your Smack Down. I am sure you will have a lot of fun.
It's an overwhelming age!
Doug
Hi Kenn,
One reason the iPad might succeed is that it looks enough like a book to be non-threatening to teachers.
Just think - with a wireless network, your entire school could become the library with just a little imagination!
Doug
Hi Libby,
The opening "quote" is just an old riddle that goes around elementary schools, I think. No attribution needed.
Who DOES write all these jokes and riddles anyway???
Doug
Hi Diane,
Yeah, I don't think kids have the corner on tech use at all. Knowing WHAT it is good for is more powerful than simply know HOW it works!
All the best,
Doug
Hi Todd,
The experts tell us that slow weight loss tends to be more permanent than fast. I suspect most change needs to be ingrained in us - slowly - if it really changes us fundamentally.
You might ask the others in the district how "lucky" they feel. Hah!
Doug
This is a good technology. I think this is why Smart Boards have been so accepted. We learn about so many new technology tools and lessons at conferences, in webinars and by reading blogs like this one, but it can be overwhelming. I do not know about transitional technologies.