Cohort Commonalities

We had an opportunity to check out and respond to each other's blogs today. It was nice to be able to see what my cohort members were writing about and find some similarities surrounding attitudes concerning technology in the classroom. For the most part, it seems that as a majority we are enthusiastic about the prospect of integrating technology into our instruction, while, concurrently, still somewhat hesitant about its proper role in the learning process. It seems that many people have come to a common conclusion about the use of tech in the classroom: it's all about balance and ensuring genuine student learning. As teachers, we have to make different judgment calls constantly; technology and its integration/utilization in the classroom is no different. We must assess our situation, know our students, their interests, learning styles, and "classroom currency." What works for one class, may fail miserably in another; what interests one, may turn another off. Furthermore, there must be a balance between the traditional and the new--each brings something different and valuable to the table and as teachers, we are responsible for figuring out how to mesh the two together for the most effective lesson possible. One of my cohort members referred to the balance as "sitting on the fence" about the tech debate--I think this "conundrum," as she called it, is a perfect metaphor for the balancing act teachers must embrace. It's important to "see" both sides of the technnology debate and be willing to place a foot within each.