Comments on: Professional development that hurts http://blog.genyes.org/index.php/2009/12/08/professional-development-that-hurts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=professional-development-that-hurts Thoughts About Empowering Students with Technology Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:39:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: While you read this… watch the world change « Generation YES Blog http://blog.genyes.org/index.php/2009/12/08/professional-development-that-hurts/comment-page-1/#comment-143914 While you read this… watch the world change « Generation YES Blog Wed, 26 May 2010 09:24:08 +0000 http://blog.genyes.com/?p=1805#comment-143914 [...] every second, schools are closing the doors to this world to students. Whether this is out of fear, confusion, or a belief that this is just a social fad, it’s lost time for [...] [...] every second, schools are closing the doors to this world to students. Whether this is out of fear, confusion, or a belief that this is just a social fad, it’s lost time for [...]

]]> By: Sylvia Martinez http://blog.genyes.org/index.php/2009/12/08/professional-development-that-hurts/comment-page-1/#comment-142395 Sylvia Martinez Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:02:37 +0000 http://blog.genyes.com/?p=1805#comment-142395 John, This comment was condensed from the responses of a focus group of students and reflects a larger conversation where things like you suggest were ruled out. The comments from the students, while not the whole story, also mirror my own experiences with many, many, schools. The larger point is that professional development for teachers is often pointed to as "the answer" for increasing technology use in schools. My opinion is that this is simplistic at best, especially when it is undertaken without including students. <a href="http://blog.genyes.com/index.php/2009/12/11/online-safety-means-empowering-and-protecting/" rel="nofollow">As I say in this blog post</a>, the trick is the balance between empowering and protecting. John,
This comment was condensed from the responses of a focus group of students and reflects a larger conversation where things like you suggest were ruled out. The comments from the students, while not the whole story, also mirror my own experiences with many, many, schools. The larger point is that professional development for teachers is often pointed to as “the answer” for increasing technology use in schools. My opinion is that this is simplistic at best, especially when it is undertaken without including students.

As I say in this blog post, the trick is the balance between empowering and protecting.

]]> By: John Tenny http://blog.genyes.org/index.php/2009/12/08/professional-development-that-hurts/comment-page-1/#comment-142380 John Tenny Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:14:37 +0000 http://blog.genyes.com/?p=1805#comment-142380 That seems to be a rather slanted response and a broad jump to a conclusion. Could it not be that the school had unfiltered access to adult sites and when the teachers learned more they added needed restrictions? To conclude that the students conclusion about 'less technology' was because the teacher were 'afraid' is a stance that excludes other possibilities, such as teachers becoming aware of the negative side of technology and taking steps to meet their responsibilities as guiding adults. Technology is not neutral, and youth do not automatically possess the maturity to not make foolish and damaging choices. It's our job to provide a safe place to learn, and sometimes that means protecting students from their own folly. That seems to be a rather slanted response and a broad jump to a conclusion. Could it not be that the school had unfiltered access to adult sites and when the teachers learned more they added needed restrictions? To conclude that the students conclusion about ‘less technology’ was because the teacher were ‘afraid’ is a stance that excludes other possibilities, such as teachers becoming aware of the negative side of technology and taking steps to meet their responsibilities as guiding adults.
Technology is not neutral, and youth do not automatically possess the maturity to not make foolish and damaging choices. It’s our job to provide a safe place to learn, and sometimes that means protecting students from their own folly.

]]> By: Students say teachers limit technology use « Generation YES Blog http://blog.genyes.org/index.php/2009/12/08/professional-development-that-hurts/comment-page-1/#comment-142356 Students say teachers limit technology use « Generation YES Blog Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:22:41 +0000 http://blog.genyes.com/?p=1805#comment-142356 [...] Generation YES Blog Thoughts About Empowering Students with Technology « Professional development that hurts [...] [...] Generation YES Blog Thoughts About Empowering Students with Technology « Professional development that hurts [...]

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