Work With Hope

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I give regular 20-minute technology presentations to the faculty at my school. These “Tech 20” presentations introduce people to (usually web based) applications and techniques, usually with a classroom emphasis. I am extremely gratified by the number of people who regularly make time to attend (though I can never tell if they come for me or for the cookies I serve).

The attendees are a true cross-section of the faculty population. New and experienced, older and young, and from all disciplines.

Recently, however, I have have been thinking about the ones who don’t come.

Now, I need to clarify this reaction. I’m not moping about people not coming to see me (at least I don’t think I am). Nor am I being moralistic that they should want to give up part of their lunches (at least I don’t think I am). Rather I’m wondering why a teacher wouldn’t come to sessions designed to expose and teach them about technology for their lives and for the classroom.

Am I covering stuff that they already know? Perhaps, but my discussions with individuals don’t seem to prove this out. Teachers as a whole seem somewhat unaware of the tools and techniques of web 2.0. Interestingly enough, there are many younger teachers who don’t attend. I had thought that they were too advanced for me, but their teaching doesn’t bear this out…nothing beyond PowerPoint. While I’m sure they are more conversant with tools of social networking than the veterans, I don’t see this affecting actual instruction.

I think that the reason is that many don’t see any of this as affecting them. These tools are great for those who use them, but there is no reason to integrate them into their already complete set of teaching tools. Teaching will be the same for the rest of their careers whether they are mature veterans or new to the profession. Technology is just one more fad that will pass, leading to another fad.

This is the tragedy of our profession. We are teaching in the last days of Pompeii, and we will be turned into sleeping statues of ash, monuments to persevering ignorance. Or maybe we are like the frog swimming in heated water that does not recognize the danger until he is cooked.

Perhaps neither of these metaphors is right. I think that many see that there are radical changes to the educational system coming, but they are paralyzed by inability to see where it is going and what they need to do. The variety of tools demonstrated in these sessions can excite people, but it can also make people feel unable to keep up.

So as I design workshops for the coming year, I’m going to think often about the people in the empty seats.