Teaching "through" technology NOT by using technology

I've been musing like so many on Classroom 2.0 about the implications of using new forms of technology in the classroom and how it can "enable" students. Meaning, in the full sense of the word "education", allow students to learn the basic skill which enable a citizen to contribute fully and positively to society (yeah, I believe in that, in Dewey).

So much of technology even at this present moment, is used as an adjunct, as a s"l"ideshow to the real lesson/learning. I think this "sparkles" and "decorative" component of technological use in the classroom is unavoidable as teachers experiment and as it is slowly sorted out, what technology will really be effective. We are pioneers at the moment and we are mixing and shaking up new concoctions.

But my big hope is that instead of technology being used as a compliment to learning, "IT" itself is the learning. That we teachers teach "through" technology and not just by using it. Teaching through technology means seeing technology as not an aside but not even noticing it, much like when teaching science, we pay little attention to language. It should be something as common as the pencil is and as necessary.

We are in the early years of this development. Technology is full of communication, it is hot and hard to handle. I say let's cool it down and use it like we would a book or a piece of chalk. Handle it, hold it, embrace it. It is already such for the children we teach.

As an example of the above, see my powerpoint. I'm an EFL teacher, I train teachers to teach EFL and also design materials (seeing this as a necessary part of any teaching job, only WE teachers know our students and thus should adapt material for their needs). It is a game where students translate text messaging language into English. This can be used by lower level classes and in fact, has been used with success in Grade 4 language arts. Try it out and then think about this concept and how it might also be used as a template for more exciting uses of teaching "through" technology and not by means of....

David Download transl8it.ppt

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Comment by Connie Weber on October 28, 2007 at 8:57am: David,

I love everything you've said here. You are a visionary, a "sage" in this new teaching. This comment gets me the most:

"We are in the early years of this development. Technology is full of communication, it is hot and hard to handle. I say let's cool it down and use it like we would a book or a piece of chalk. Handle it, hold it, embrace it. It is already such for the children we teach."

Slow down and go for depth. Use technology itself as the new learning. Not as the compliment to learning. --Wish we could discuss this in great depth!

I'd like to get your perspective now and then on what's happening for me as I "switch over" to entirely new teaching--while integrating it with the "old" (the deeply human, heartfelt, caring, artistic, exploratory, comfortable "classroom family" feeling). I think I'm crossing a significant threshold; need some guides as I go--like you. I have an entirely different educational setting than you do--a homeroom class in an independent school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's just 20 kids and me for most of the day. We get to be very experimental and exploratory in learning. (The freedom is great, and so is the responsibility!) Even give the differences in our settings, I think there are some large thematic "truths" we can share. Please keep in touch about what you're learning. Ok if I throw some questions your way now and then?
Anyhow, keep up the good work. You're making waves, making a difference.

Comment by Ed Jones on February 7, 2008 at 7:52am: David, I started this morn with your Current Events voicethread post, which meant I had to make my way over and learn about voicethreads.

I'm trying to imagine a future when voicethreads deliver content, when they are more than yetanotherinteractivetoy for students to keep amused with. Its gonna take some time.

Ack!! Mid-writing here, I got invited to Oovoo! (oovoo.com) more bandwidth! ack!