ThrasHing towards the digital classroom ~ rocks, blocks & Friction

THRASHING
I started working with computers in the days of mainframes. Mainframes were massive in size and expensive. A 5 million dollar mainframe could have less than 32 meg of physical memory (Today we think in Gigs - my computer has 4 Gig of memory or 4096 MB). As computer programs became more complex and memory hungry, and the need to run multiple programs or jobs "concurrently" became a necessity -- virtual memory -- an area on a computer's hard drive -- was used as an extension of physical memory. Instructions sat in their own areas of virtual memory until they were needed -- then they were read into physical memory.If the number or tasks (processes), or a single task, did not have enough physical memory, the computer would spend all of its time loading instructions and data from virtual memory into physical memory -- thrashing -- and not doing meaningful work (computing). So what's the point ... I believe we're thrashing ... and we have been for quite a while -- both in the "what" and the "how" of executing our work as educators.

Consider the stream of messages ... 21stCentury Skills, NCTE Definition of the 21stCentury Literacies, the National Council for the Social Studies Statement on Media Literacy, NETS-T, NETS-A, NETS-S, KnowledgeWorks Foundation’s 2020 Forecast on Learning, PEW Surveys, Educause, School 2.0, blog posts, new discussion forums, podcasts on impending revolutions, Twitter flow. Did I mention the federal, state, and local mandates?

A lot of this is absolutely great stuff, and important stuff. But it's just too much. We are thrashing. I think we all have our ways of dealing with the thrashing -- and I believe some ways are better than others.... and that's where this story begins.

LET'S ROCK
The story goes that a speaker was addressing his audience at a conference. He pulled a large glass jar from under the podium, placed it on a table and proceeded to fill the jar with rocks. He looked at the jar, then looked at the audience and asked, "Is the jar full?" Everyone responded, "Yes." He pulled out a bag of pebbles and emptied the pebbles into the jar. They settled amongst the crannies between the rocks. When he couldn't fit another pebble into the jar, he asked, "Is the jar full?" The audience was not as quick to respond, but most answered, "Yes, now it's full." He pulled out a bag of sand. He poured the sand into the jar. The sand filled the spaces between the pebbles. He asked, "Is the jar full?" By this time, the audience wasn't sure what would happen next, but finally responded, "Yes, now the jar is full." The speaker paused, looked at the jar, and said, "If I hadn't placed the rocks in the jar first, I wouldn't be able to put even one rock in that jar." Think of a rock as a goal which leads to a significant accomplishment.
(Story Retold in Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)

TRYING TO GET MY HEAD AROUND IT IN 2005

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BLOCKS
Learning to use any technology takes time. What I consider a clean, intuitive interface may seem like a convoluted maze of menus from your point of view. After browsing through a product's technical manual, you estimate that it will take a lifetime to learn how to edit a single digital photo -- that's if you figure out how to get it from your camera into the computer. Producing a video clip might happen in your next life. The Unschooled Mind Takes Over! That kind of thinking is just one of the blocks you'll have to deal with. The other blocks might be: getting your district to purchase software and install that software on your computer; convincing the powers that be that learning to use this technology will give you a new toolset to produce content which engages students; finding time to train your students to use the same technology so they'll have new tools to share what they learn. (Come to think of it, they may be training you.)

FRICTION
Finally, you'll have to eliminate the friction. Friction is anything that comes between you and your rock. Put your digital camera on your desk, wear it around your neck if necessary -- but don't put it in the zippered black case in your classroom closet. The camera is your friend. Start taking pictures of children reading, talking, writing etc. Do the same with your video camera. Mount it on a tripod and keep it charged. Put it as close to the action as possible and turn it on. I use a standard digital camera and a mini-digital camera (FlipVideo Ultra). Let the children take pictures and shoot video when you go on field trips. Use the footage to inspire a writing assignment which is podcasted and combined with the video -- share it with the entire school community. Keep your Digital Recorder in your pocket -- or hang it around your neck -- you will use it. Collect the images, audio and video -- the raw materials you will need to present your next lesson or to share student work. At first, you may do this spontaneously in response to some part of your teaching OR to help children share their work. In time, it will feel natural to pre-plan the use of technology within your lessons and units of study. Once you are comfortable, you will invite students to become your production assistants -- why should you have all the fun?