A couple of weeks back I read some great posts* about professional development and learning.\u00a0 They really sum up well those things providers need to remember about learners.\u00a0 It is about the learning and not the tools, after all. I highly recommend taking the time to read them.<\/p>\n
As technology users ourselves we often are so passionate about what we do that we often don’t understand why others do not catch our passion.\u00a0 We may not realize that some teachers feel the use of technology may be an intrusion into their teaching, imposed on them by others.<\/p>\n
Doug Johnson<\/a> says:<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to lose the perspective that teachers are teachers first and technology users second \u2013 or third or fourth. Good trainers who can remember what it was like before there were computers \u2013 the green grass, the singing birds, the books to read, the parties to attend, the fishing trips, the face-to-face human communication\u2013 tend to be more empathetic. Think back, think back…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It is this statement I want to reflect on.\u00a0 What did I do before learning, technology, and networking possessed my every waking thought (sad isn’t it).\u00a0 I used to cross stitch, read science fiction and history. I used to do a variety of arts & crafts. I visited museums, and parks, I travelled. I wrote letters with good stationary and sealing wax.\u00a0 I worked on family history and genealogy. I had people over for dinner.<\/p>\n I do not do these things much anymore.\u00a0 I still read, but topics in learning and education have replaced science fiction. I send email instead of letters. I do not travel as much, I guess I do some virtually but that is not really the same.\u00a0 I have not picked up my\u00a0 cross stitching in about 6 years, and I sort of miss it.\u00a0 My genealogy research came to a screeching halt 4 years ago.<\/p>\n Maybe the teachers who have known us a long time and have seen the changes we have undergone don’t want to “catch the disease.”<\/p>\n Am I okay with these changes ? I honestly do not know and will have to ponder that a bit. But I do know that once I became a connected learner my learning exploded and I just want more.<\/p>\n * Doug Johnson, Seven Qualities of Highly Effective Technology Trainers<\/a> A couple of weeks back I read some great posts* about professional development and learning.\u00a0 They really sum up well those things providers need to remember about learners.\u00a0 It is about the learning and not the tools, after all. I highly recommend taking the time to read them. As technology users ourselves we often are so passionate about what we do that we often don’t understand why others do not catch our passion.\u00a0 We may not realize that some teachers…<\/p>\n
\nJacob Gutnicki, 15 Essentials of Bad Professional Development in Technology<\/a>
\nMiguel Guhlin, Admission of Vulnerability, My PLN<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"