TPACK Chapter 2--Bridging Digital and Cultural Divides

One of the things that I understand now is why we took History, Philosophy and Ethics and Research Methods before taking this course. While reading this chapter, I found I needed that background knowledge.
In this chapter, a real challenge for me was the use of the acronym “TMI.” I know that the chapter explained it as “technology mediated instruction” however every time the authors used the acronym, I thought “too much information.” I literally had to look up what TMI meant every few pages.
Leaving that aside for a minute, I was very interested in the digital divide conversation. I had of course heard of the term before, but I only knew it as what the authors describe as the “first” digital divide: the haves and the have-nots. We have tried to solve part of the first divide in our district. I am blessed to be able to teach in a school that has one to one laptops. However, there is an interesting attitude at our school. Many students don’t like the laptops! They don’t like carrying them around all the time (they’re heavy!) and they also think that they are old. They complain that they can’t do enough with them. There are also many complaints about the ‘Net Nanny, Bess, that our school employs. The students feel that it is too restrictive and in many cases it is. For example, a student would be blocked from many sites if he/she were researching breast cancer. I don’t know how to solve this, but it is interesting to note.
I had not considered the other two digital divides: “access to achievement enhancing TMI” (p. 39) and “ access to cultural sensitive technological pedagogy” (p. 43). Both of these digital divides were interesting. I should hope that I don’t use technology as a reward. I hate being held back when I am exploring new technology, so I don’t think I do that to my students, especially when the next direction is something like “hit enter” but I will be more aware of it in the future.
I also enjoyed the discussion of teaching as an “ill-structured ‘wicked’ problem” (p. 55). Teaching is amorphous and ever changing. That is one of the things I like best about it! It is never the same, day-to-day and year-to-year. I have three sophomore classes on B days. The same lesson could look very different in each one of those classes. I am interested in hearing more about how the context to TPCK can help me to teach these lessons more effectively. There is so much to do! How do we do everything that is asked of us? This is the most important question that I need answered.

All Quotes from The Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) for Educators edited by the AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology.

TPACK Chapter 1--Introducing TPCK

Technology is growing and changing at increasing rates of speed each year. Look at how quickly an iPod or computer goes out of date or becomes obsolete. Contrast that with the relative stasis of the canon of English literature. No wonder then that many teachers, when looking at technology, think, “It’s somebody else’s problem.” Many times, we don’t like to change, because change is hard. Change is work and sometimes change is frightening. And technology is change.
But the truth is that we use technology every day, from the minute we get up until we go to sleep. Many of these innovative technologies are no longer new or exciting to us; therefore we discount them as technology. But a pencil is technology. Just as much as the computer and word processor were revolutionary, so too was the printing press and the clock. One of the discussions that I found most interesting in this chapter was the nature of analog and digital technology.
So we use technology every day. So what? So what if what I use is a pencil while the technology that my colleague embraces is a SmartBoard. They are both technology. The “so what” is that our students are so much better at it than teachers (for the most part) are. Many of them have, after all, never even seen or heard of a typewriter, and discount writing with pens and pencils as “old school.” They cannot remember a time when they did not have the luxury of a computer. And they like learning things on (and about) computers; therefore they are more engaged in learning when it involves digital technology.
How does this impact me? I believe that it reinforces what I already knew. I knew that kids like and respond well to technology and that we should continue to try to incorporate technology into our lessons. The challenge is finding the time to “do it all” as they say. Much like “supermoms” teachers have to be all things to all students…and that’s hard.
But while it is hard, it is also exciting. The heart of teaching is the love of learning. If we as teachers are not open and willing to embrace new experiences and technology, then we lose the very essence of what makes us teachers. We should love to learn. Therefore, although it can be frightening to be asked to do so much with (sometimes) so little, we need to take up the challenge. I, for one, am looking forward to it.