Faith and the Digital Economy

Awareness fosters a greater prayer life for me. The bible clearly states that as believers we are not to put our trust in man but rather in the Father. Therefore, I believe that it is prudent for me to abreast of the events that occur around me daily in order that I may walk in IIChron. 7:14, If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn form their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Diversity as always existed whether between the Jew and the Gentile or the Digital Native and the Digital Immigrant. Understanding and respect are the constant ingredients that pepper the landscape of being able to appreciate and embrace the differences while discovering all the while that there is far more that unites than separates us.

Generational DIfferences

Generational differences have long been a conversation filled with consternation and exasperation. Misunderstandings seem to rule the day. Covey, in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, says that if we seek first to understand and then to be understood that the process will result in win/win solutions. He defines maturity as the balance between courage and consideration. He says that seeking to require consideration; seeking to be understood takes courage. Ergo, diversity issues whether racial/ethnicity or digitally can begin the process of fostering win/win solutions if we are willing to be mature, considerate and courageous. .

Disparities

Disparities other than money? Hmmm. Stress levels created by noxious family relationships, alcohol/drug abuse and peer pressure contribute greatly to school failure, dropout rates and unemployment. Historically, mental health, criminal justice and the education system interact with this population in an inconsistent manner. A student is sent to alternative school for punishment or holding until your old enough to drop out or commit some offense that will get him/her expelled. Then of course, the criminal justice system is very ready to assume responsibility for them. While incarcerated they may receive treatment for substance abuse if that is an issue but not for much else.

How to address it, since we have already established alternative settings why not make them more effective by implementing a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates stress management skills, training in goal development and problem solving, individual group and family counseling and training in employability, social and life skills. Comprehensive treatment plans would actually be developed for each student. This of course would be in addition to academic remediation especially academic skills necessary for life functions. I believe that Liz has this kind of heart toward her students and she may be doing some of things suggested. (Gamble & Satcher, 2007)

Shifting from conversation to implementation?

Major shifts that should occur in today’s teaching and leaning practices are not as aloof or evasive as perhaps we have been made to believe. In class November 13, we discussed that we have been made aware of and known of what the challenges, concerns, obstacles, and issues are regarding education. The question was not what needs to be done; the question was what prevents it from occurring. That day we came to a consensus of sorts, putting shoe leather on what we know is the key to effecting change in our educational system. In short, develop a context for the change, find the courage to change, generate the energy to change and be relentless in the pursuit for change. In an article entitled, If We Love Our Children More Than We Love Our Schools, the System Must Change, authored by Dennis Littky his sentiments are as follows:
“If it can be done once, can it be done again? And again? Can it happen?
Yes. The real question is, will it happen? If the powers that control our
education system want it to happen, it will. If we can get to the moon,
we can make good schools that meet the needs of all kids. But the problems
and the solutions are bigger than simply duplicating a successful
model. “Scaling up”must be first about loving our children more than we
love our current education system and structures. Next, it must be about
providing choice for families and students. Then we can change and
improve the education system of a district, a city, a state, and the nation.”

In a nutshell cohort three, it can be done. KISD’s beloved or bemoaned Dr. Hawkins proved it. As result of his willingness to change, he co-developed the very first assignment we participated in for this course. In Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas: A Work in Progress for Conversation and Further Development, he and some likeminded colleagues has given us a rubric. Are we ready to further the conversation? Moreover, while cultivating visionary and systemic conversation are we ready to contextualize, conceptualize, canonize, and capitalize on the results of what we shall discover while we were in the light of brilliance that is born when hearts are meld together for one common purpose? Are we ready to initiate the findings, implement the change, iterate the purpose, and irritate the status quo? Perhaps we should call Dr. Hawkins and ask the questions, what compelled you to become involved in that project? Was it because you loved the kids more than the system? Where did you find the courage to put your lively hood on the line for what you believed? When did you decide that it was worth it? How did you decide that it was worth it? That being said, cohort three, my question to us is, whom do we love?

Michael Fullan

Michael Fullan

Imperatively Speaking!

Pressing imperatives - so many to choose from - which have priority. According to Fullan, (2005) perhaps systems would be the order of the day. Gardner would probably agree at least in part that to address the issues of diverse learning a synergistic mind would be invaluable. Additionally since we are not necessarily afforded the opportunity to address challenges in a singular fashion, adopting the DN's aptitude for Multitasking would be appropriate and necessary. Senge (1990) weighs in defining systems thinking as the integration of personal mastery, mental models, building shared vision, and team learning. Systems thinking at the core require the utilization of MI's. Fullan espouses that if we are to change systems into sustainable ones, then we must become explicitly conscious that we are engaging in widening peoples' experiences and identification beyond their normal territory. Ergo, "Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas,” is an awesome framework for establishing context to systems thinking, but do we have the fortitude to implement?

……netting butterflies and mounting them on boards and labeling them with Latin names produces beautifully precise objects of scientific interest…..but it does not capture the ineffable movement of the creature as it moves from flower to flower or from larva to winged (Daisley, 1992)

I certainly appreciate that our children or more technological savvy than previous generations. They have grown up with technology at their fingertips and are “multi-taskers”. Palfrey and Gasser expose us to the Ying and the Yang of technology. They heighten our sense of awareness as they espouse the virtues and vices of young people willing to create and recreate everything from products to themselves in the open forum of cyberspace.

However, they as well as their parents, school staff, school board are still human beings. The need for personal insights into the emotional and social needs of the students as well as the other stakeholders is still relevant and needed. (Daisley, 1992) Teaching one the intricacies of critical thinking can certainly be fostered by technology but many times, faulty self-perception issues must be approached to encourage appropriate disclosure and respect for the prevailing laws established for techno - global world.

Technology in and of itself is not learning necessarily, it may be a readily accessible tool to foster learning. There are still socio-economic issues that must be addressed (Senge, 1999). Disparages in access to education must be ameliorated and efforts to engage parents who have experienced marginalization must be deployed. Offering multifaceted means of assessment other than testing such as small group projects and portfolios may tend to serve our students, their parents, school staff and the community better than the latest and greatest technological break through which is bought today and obsolete today. (Litkky, 2004) Developing true connection within a framework of genuiness and concern for that student’s learning experience will not go the way of Pong, Speak and Spell, Ms. Pac Man and so forth and so on. Whereas MyMathLab, Blackboard, twitter, face book, MySpace, ilinc, and Wimba are great tools in education, fostering and establishing connections that are not subject to viruses, lack of memory to accommodate the downloads and lack of accessibility are crucial as well.