Okay, so scare the parents and educational policy makers - now let's whack the teachers on the head!

Comment by Donna Hebert on July 28, 2007 at 10:21pm

Okay, so I read the article and a notion that's been rolling around in the back of my mind for some time pops up again. I keep thinking that it will only be a matter of time before classrooms are video taped as a means to check up on teachers and students.

Comment by Jennifer Koch Lubke on July 31, 2007 at 9:05am

Agreed. It's hard to find positive accounts in the mainstream press about the power and educational potential of social networking tools. It's not nearly as interesting as, say, video clips of cheerleaders making out in the locker room or other lapses in judgment that have given these web-based tools a bad name.

However, occasionally we stumble across stories that highlight educational implications and not just the lurid underside of the Internet. Here's an article that appeared earlier this summer in a regional newspaper: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_6012067
I know it's not the New York Times, but it's something!

Comment by Jacinta Gascoigne on July 31, 2007 at 9:28am

Hi Jennifer,
You are correct in all that you say. I guess is that what has kept me going and inspired me to learn something new everyday, or do something everyday with the tools and technologies available - make connections with like minded people (we all get frustrated and all see and do great things because we care and want to make a difference - that is why we are all connecting as we are) and offer our learning to our learners - hopefully enhancing the learning and the learning experience for them all now and in the future.
I have some ideas (not totally happy with them yet) as how we might all be able to work on getting the success stories, including the incredible efforts of people like those within this one network Classroom 2.0 on Ning. I doubt that there are many or any members, that are being paid PD funds for the time they spend, exploring, investigating, networking, learning, sharing and collaborating - all of which will be of benefit to the learners - the clients and to the organisation as a whole.
I have got another burst since placing myself in a position to get active in Ning.
The negatives are there and it is important that we all understand exactly what is being written and provided to the public, so that we can all ensure we have measures in place or mind ways of counteracting what is nothing more than scare tactics, by ommission.
Thank you so much for your contribution as it reminds us all to never lose sight of why we are here, in cyberspace.
Jacinta

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