warrington’s blog

(Subtitle: A rather obvious, but accurate, description of this assignment.)

Well, as I look back over the past year, I remember coming into the summer session as a totally new, first year TLITEr. I was a bit in awe of the second year TLITErs, seeing them as Info Tech pros, and felt excited, but somewhat daunted. I recall asking some of them for advice and their thoughts about the program. Julia had assured us that the goal of the program was simply to show progress, to learn ourselves and to get our students to learn, but still I was worried that, being a bit of a Luddite, that I’d be in over my head.

Now, here we are a year later (and what a fast year it was), and I’m a bit surprised to find myself in a second year TLITEr’s shoes already. I wish that there was a new intake of first year TLITErs so that I could see their reactions and see the same growth that I’ve been experiencing. I felt quite grateful to the second year TLITErs who reassured me and helped guide me along, and I wish that I could return the favour and try to be helpful to a new intake of students.

I vividly recall that first summer institute. Everyday was a kind of waterfall of new terminology and names of software programs for both Macs and PC’s. I recall feelig overwhelmed but excited about everything: Flash, Dreamweaver, HTML, Audacity, del.icio.us, Garageband, iPhoto, Photostory3, ComicLife, MovieMaker, Gestures, Google Earth, Pod casts, MS Publisher, Web Quest, Inspiration, Wikis…Most all of these were new terms to me at the time, some of them I still have no idea about, but some others I have used myself in my first year of TLITE. I would like to suggest for future TLITE intakes that someone start a Wiki to give a brief explanation of all those programs. It really would help to reduce the feeling of being drowned in a sea of new terminology to know that there was a site that one could go to to look up just what this new thing does and if it applies to oneself.

OK then, to answer the questions:

a/ How am I as an “exemplary tech user”? Well, I AM an exemplary tech user in the classroom this year since I was doing tech projects with my students and showing them how to use the new software. Even though there were a number of my students who knew it much better than me, there were others who thought that HTML was short for ‘hotmail’. So in that sense, I was at least in the role of an “exemplary user”. Even in my private life, I am making inroads into the world of info tech. I prepared a MovieMaker show for my parents’ 50th anniversary this year, and re-touched some of the old, damaged photos using Photoshop. I never would have ventured into such a project pre-TLITE and now my family members see me as a tech guy. I still don’t see myself very high on the scale, but I AM on the scale now.

b/ How would I define “exemplary tech user”? Well, “exemplary” means “worthy of imitation”, or “commendable”. So again, in the sense that I was the one showing my students how to use new programs and in the sense that I made the digital photo album for my parents’ anniversary (and in the sense that my projects worked out well and that the digital photo album was a success), then I am in the role of an exemplary user of tech. I would define it as someone who uses technology as a role model for others, someone who can use it competently and inspire others to do the same.

c/ What are my visions as an “exemplary tech user”? Well, I am inspired to do more now that I’ve made some inroads into the world of technology. I feel like I’ve only just gotten my feet wet in the ocean and I’d like to continue on the path I’ve started on. I gave my students project ideas and I was in turn inspired by their work this year. I’d like to become much better at Photoshop and improve on the project we did in class this past year. I’d like to get to the point where I can casually and knowledgeably talk about all of the above-named programs. I’d like to become as good as my parents think I am with technology.

d/ What are my student-centered and student-directed curricula? Well, it was a pleasant shock for me this year to see some of my less-successful students take on a leadership role in the tech projects we did. It really was a turning point for some of them. And it was a bit of a revelation for me to see that all I had to do was present the project idea and to see the groups get inspired and come up with some novel ideas and great work. I was so used to having to battle to get some of them to “listen” and “get on with their work”. Really it was infinitely easier for me (and for them), just to let them take over their own learning and do a project, especially a project with the cachet of tech. It’s really making me re-think my teaching. Why on Earth would I want to continue butting heads with my students to get them to settle down, to listen to me, and to do their seat work, when they’re actually quite good at taking over their learning. All I have to do is to set up future projects in such a way that they cover the same areas of French grammar and vocabulary that I would be covering in a conventional lesson. My students will be happier, they’ll learn more (and I’ll live longer).