Clarence Fisher shared his thoughts and experience about ICT via skype. He is an educator in Snow Lake, a small community that is about to grow! Through ICT, his students have had a growth opportunities, as well. He told us about his class connecting with classes in L.A., Peru and Singapore. This small community has access to "global perspectives and connection"... how amazing! As an avid traveller and person interested in sharing culture, this aspect of ICT is so fantastic to me. I see so many possibilities for expanding horizons...learning about and experiencing different places and people. As Clarence said, this generation is on the front lines of globalization. Sharing and collaborating with students in other places offers great possibilities for developing an online network. Helping kids connect to their own networks will prepare them for the future. These connections will also encourage understanding and respect for different traditions and lifestyles.
I think this is important for everyone, not just students in small towns! I am seeing more and more clearly the possibilities for enhancing personal communication through ICT.
Confession time: I think some of my resistance to tech communication has been that at times, it seems to come at the expense of actual face to face communication. As a latecomer to communicating this way (I think I was the only person in Southeast Asia without a cell phone in 2009!), I found phone behaviour annoying for a long time. I would get irritated when in a social group, several people would be texting on their phones. "Choose the real people...there are people to communicate with right here!" was my battle cry (I still say this sometimes). Or when people would wander the halls at Uni, glued to their phones, not making eye contact (I have stepped in their paths to see if they would bump into me so I could get mad). Or sitting in a room full of people with hardly any talking, seeing only the tops of heads bent over screens. A talker by nature, I am becoming more open to the different ways of connecting. I have started conversations based on a topic discovered on twitter! It is cool to see opinions while things are in process! I can see the benefit of a quick text instead of a long, yappy phone conversation! Communication is communication, and one type can compliment another. All kinds are important. So, if I ever got in your way while you were texting and walking, I apologise... I now accept that you were busy communicating!
Constant texting when in a group is a pet peeve of mine as well haha, but I have learned to deal with it. It is going to happen and that isn't going to change. It is a way of connecting, but if there are people around it is considerate to actually talk to them haha.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with you (and Scott) about the constant texting; it often drives me crazy. And not just when other people do it.. I get frustrated if I have done it too much in a day! If I realize I am at that level of frustration I will likely just stop texting mid conversation. Sometimes I do miss the days of phone calls.. But then again texting can be convenient! I really loved hearing about what Clarence does with his students using technology as well. He creates such great learning experiences for the students, especially with his Skyping classes around the world. I even enjoyed the simple technology infusion of having a TV in the room, with a constant show of pictures the students have taken of their learning. He is doing great things; grea example to learn from.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the "quick text" while in a group setting, but the "text-a-thon" that CAN and DOES happen when I am talking to someone one-on-one, irritates me a lot! (Ok, had to get that off my chest) I do believe, however, that texting, tweeting, emailing, Skyping and talking in person all have their place in today's communicative society. We definitely should embrace the many ways we can communicate with one another, but we should also remember to use etiquette and care for people's feelings.
ReplyDeleteI agree Kelsey, that the connections students make will foster understanding and respect for different traditions and lifestyles. There is so much we all can learn from connecting with others around the globe and it is very exciting to see this unfold in today's classrooms.
P.S. I love that you are a twitterer. Now all we need are a couple of smart phones!
What a great post, Kelsey - and important conclusions. All of you make important points. I too agree that we need to be with the people we are with at a given time, however, it is important to realize that the online world is not separate, it is just as real as real as the physical world. After all - real people are at the other end of those online conversations as well.
ReplyDelete