What I Voted For

I voted today and I would like to share not who I voted for, but some of what I voted for and how this might relate to our use of technology. I voted for giving people the chance to share their knowledge and to collaborate with one another to solve problems. I voted for empowering people to take charge of their own lives rather than being told how their lives will be helped or changed. I voted for a strong work ethic. I voted for the hope that technology will be viewed as a tool any generation of user can adapt to, learn from, benefit from, and, most importantly, engage in a wider (global?) conversation with because our world is an investment in ourselves and our future.

We have the power to take ourselves anywhere we desire; whether it is to a physical location on this planet, (or another), or to a different point in our own understanding of what we think we currently know. We can learn in order to get there. Generation-We is growing up but they need to become digital citizens. They are so much like us, learners who believe they can make a difference. What are WE doing in our classes to help them?

Our students share. Do we? Do we know what other educators are doing in the next classroom or school? Do we care? I voted for the chance to share our knowledge. We can share by talking with one another as colleagues and using online storage sites, online photo sharing sites, blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc. to make 'our' work available anytime, anywhere for others.

Our students collaborate. Do we? How often do we give and get nothing back, not even a 'Thank You!"? I am not smarter or a better teacher than you but I can work with you to create something truly magical our students can use to help them learn. I can personally become better at my craft as I glean a little bit of what you do, too. Do we encourage our students to collaborate in the classroom? I voted for giving people the chance to help. We can collaborate by using OneNote, wikis, and blogs, to name a few technology tools.

Our students think. It is our job to help them think creatively and constructively. Engage them. We can teach them to use paper and electronic resources to help them attack a problem, question, or issue, to form opinions and to be heard. We can help them learn to use Web 2.0 tools to organize their research.

Our students communicate. Do we? Certainly we can with one another as we sit in our offices. Let's expand the communication. Do you read periodicals and blogs regularly that are written by teachers or experts in a subject? Do you communicate/contribute your own thoughts to the blog? Do your students blog or contribute to your classroom blog? You and your students do have something to say. It is humbling to find others thinking and writing about topics, ideas, and uses for technology that I would not think about or even know about had I not read their blog. It is satisfying to find others sharing the same concerns, hopes, and dreams for education and technology that I do. It is gratifying to be able to contribute and learn from, benefit from, and engage in wide conversations.

Maybe we use Skype to communicate. Let's bring a scientist, author, accountant, musician, mathematician, coach, athlete, secretary, CEO, plumber, doctor, nurse, and parent, into our classroom and have live dialogues using Skype. We can communicate and technology will help in ways not possible before.

How do you see our students? What did you vote for?