Education on the Technological Highway: Red Light/Green Light
On February 12, 2009 BCASCD & the Coquitlam Teachers’ Association put on an exciting dinner evening debating Education on the Technological Highway: Red Light/Green Light. I think it would be safe to say that even the most reluctant user of technology left the evening realizing that we are experiencing rapid advancement in technology and that there is no better time than the present to engage in a rich dialogue with colleagues about how we proceed. Many would agree that we are in a new reality with technology and as stated by our panel speaker, Chris Kennedy, it’s not whether you embrace it; it’s how we embrace it.
The night began with dinner and welcome remarks by the President of BCASCD Leslie Andersson. Superintendent of Langley schools Cheryl Beaumont, the moderator for the evening, introduced our Panel speakers Barry Bennett, Marco Torres and Chris Kennedy. Each speaker gave a wonderfully different perspective on the use of technology and its importance in education today. Randy Huth, president-elect for BCASCD, commented in his closing remarks that the panel speakers represented three generations of computer users and that many people in the room could relate to at least one of these generations. We are also pleased to mention that in the audience was accomplished speaker and technology expert, Alan November.
To begin the panel discussion Chris Kennedy urged us to stop blocking websites and instead have conversations with students about ethical use. He also urged us to consider equity and believes we are in the middle of something profound. He stated that in five years we don’t know where we will be and that is the scary and exciting part. Today we are faced with the reality that there is a new backpack for students and we need to look at going were the kids are. Chris Kennedy left us with some questions to ponder. How can we take the social tools of the children and make them work educationally? How do we use technology to build professional learning communities? Chris recognizes that technology is not a silver bullet, but it is not going away either, so how can we embrace it?
Our next speaker, Marco Torres, had us applauding as we were excited to learn that he is a part of President Barack Obama’s transition team. He then had us relating to his ideas around focussing on the verbs and not the nouns. Marco Torres used the Cooking show metaphor that the show is not about the tools themselves it’s about using the tools. Have you seen a cooking show that is just about a whisk? Information Technology is supposed to support learning not dictate it. Focus on the purpose of things, not the actual things. The key is the verb, do you want the students to learn content or skills? He then quoted Albert Einstein to make his point. Einstein said “Don’t ask questions you can look up.” What is an educated person? What is an expert? Could I have looked that up on google? To sum it up, it is product versus process.
Our third speaker, Barry Bennett had us laughing right away as he acknowledged “it is good that I am up here.” Mr. Bennett, a confessed overhead junkie since 1973, knew he had to adapt to change when asking for an overhead projector to use at a conference. The young man at the desk couldn’t help him as he didn’t know what an overhead projector was. Barry Bennett took us through the era of changes from overhead, to white board to smart board, which ones you can write on and which ones you cannot. He encouraged us to help teachers see the value of innovation and agreed with Chris Kennedy that we cannot expect change right away.
Bennett reminded us that this is about the kids, not the technology and he stressed that we cannot lose sight of that. He gave the example that Monet used the colour red when he needed to. I think Mr. Bennett said it very well with the question “how will we be competent and not accidently adequate?”. We must be routine users of innovation to see change in the classroom.
After hearing from each speaker there was time for discussions at the tables and questions for the panel. It was a wonderful night to bring a great group of educators together from across the valley and around the lower mainland for an outstanding calibre of speakers, thought provoking relevant discussion and excellent food. The feedback from the audience was very positive as with many people in attendance stating that it was great to listen to such a diverse panel in terms of experience and backgrounds. BCASCD was pleased to work in conjunction with the Coquitlam Teachers’ Association and look forward to our next joint adventure. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful evening.
view the event flyer
By Carolynn Schmor
carolynn.schmor@sd75.mission.bc.ca
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