Half of teaching is learning

Merry Hebert

“You have a screen name?” they query in disbelief. Screen name, IM, blogging, DVD, ipod, podcasts, youtube, myspace, HDTV, textmessage, iMac… this is the jargon of the millennials – my 7th grade students. Their world is filled with technology; they accept it – and expect it. They use it to communicate, connect, and create. And they use it constantly and confidently.

Yes, I tell them. I have a screen name… “ It’s mrsheebz.” I blog, instant message (im), google, make podcasts, publish on-line books, and textmessage. I visit MySpace, Facebook, and Youtube. I use Garageband, Comic Life, iPhoto, iTunes, Frontpage, iMovie, Keynote, and Noteshare. I love the world of technology. Of course, my students think I’m kidding when I tell them I grew up with a rotary phone (one for the whole family!) and a black and white TV with three stations of snow. No microwave, no World Wide Web, no cell phones… and certainly no computers. But my family did own a typewriter and a complete set of World Book Encyclopedias. I had all the tools necessary to give me an edge in school – then.

Fast-forward forty years. The 12 year olds that I teach still have the encyclopedia as a wonderful window to the world. But the typewriter is long gone. Instead they possess iMac G4 laptops with the World Book just one of the many promising programs at their fingertips. It’s a powerful tool that gives my kids – and me - an edge on learning. As with any tool, however, the magic is in the use. Misuse, on the other hand, can bring crisis into the community of the classroom.

There is no tool that has changed my teaching practice as much as the laptop. All 7th and 8th graders in the state of Maine have 24/7 access to their own wireless laptops. In 2001, the Maine Learning and Teaching Initiative (MLTI) was voted and approved; as a result, one percent of Maine’s educational funds was spent on one-to-one computing – a laptop for every 7th grader in the state. The following year, the 8th grade was added, for a total of 35,000 laptops. This was a lofty goal aimed at evening the Digital Divide by providing the World Wide Web for all students in our largely rural state. This was a true democratic ideal: equal opportunity regardless of economic status. At this time, this initiative was the only program of its kind in the world. WOW. And wow. Teachers spouted clichés like a potato sprouts eyes: a mixed blessing, throwing money in the wind, a two-edged sword, Christmas in July, can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The program was embraced by some teachers, scorned by others. I chose to embrace. To learn. Or at least try to learn. For to teach “is to learn twice” (Joseph Joubert.) And that has made all the difference in who I am as a teacher.

Using technology has transformed my curriculum and my teaching style. In particular, one-on-one computing has made the single biggest impact on my 27 years of teaching. My entire belief system has been tested and strengthened not only by the advent, but also the intrusion of the laptop into my classroom. I’m no longer the expert, the disseminator of all-that-needs-to-be-known. I’m a learner, growing along with my students and along with my colleagues. We are a true community of explorers compelled by the MLTI motto: “If you know how to do it, teach someone else. If you don’t know how, ask someone else.” It’s an energizing environment in which to learn: it’s the environment of the connected generation.

I teach seventh grade Language Arts in a coastal town in Southern Maine. The majority of my students come from professional families who have the ability to travel widely, vacation often, own lovely homes, and pay for higher education. It’s a homogeneous community, with poor and minority students few and far between. Ninety-two percent of the families in my district had access to the Internet at home when the MLTI program began, so the Digital Divide was never a huge issue for my students. Yet access to computers at school for word processing and research had always been minimal. Prior to the laptop program, I’d been lucky to obtain an hour a week in the computer lab for my students. Laptops have given us a portable writing lab, instant access to research, and assistive technology.

My teaching philosophy is simple. I strive to create a democratic classroom – an energetic community of caring people engaged in learning. The laptop is a tool, a powerful communication device that has increased my ability to enact democratic ideals on a daily basis. Engagement, energy, and caring: these are more important to me than the content I teach. It’s actually not the laptop itself that revolutionized teaching for me; it is the use and misuse of its power. Some days, the power can bring delight and despair, excitement and apathy in equal doses. Unfortunately, those incidents of despair and apathy can negatively affect our democratic community and can have long-lasting ramifications.

Like any teacher, I have endless stories about kids. Most of these stories show how technology has benefited my classroom as I encourage students to engage, energize, and care. Yet some of these stories are disturbing; they show how the abuse of technology can threaten the safety and well being of our democratic classroom community. In his book The Technology Fix: the Promise and Reality of Computers in Our Schools, William Pflaum offers prudent advice: “The choice is not to reject technology or to embrace it, rather to use it with thought and discrimination.”

Stories of Engagement: “From Podcasts to Porn”

Most would agree that yes, technology motivates students. But in what ways? Here are two examples from my classroom that illustrate the extremes of student engagement.

A recent unit of study involved writing a creative story and capturing a part of it as a podcast using the Garageband software on our iMacs. During our quiet writing time, Diego and Phil were off-task and disinterested. Diego is an at-risk student with 40% absenteeism. Phil is loud and boisterous, but good-natured. Neither boy does any work at home. I was having difficulty maintaining the ambience required for a productive writing workshop. So I separated the two rambunctious boys from the rest of the class to work in the nearby private team room.

After conferencing with them in the team room, I left them to formulate a plan. They decided on rap lyrics for their creative writing, thinking that would make an entertaining podcast for the class. I popped in on Diego and Phil several times a class over the next few days. There was not much progress, but they sure were having fun. They were not writing much – some scribbles on a paper – but they were playing with the garage band program a lot - and erasing a lot. The garage band program was new for all of us; it can create recorded podcasts using original music or jingles. We’re all learning together through trial and error. I put on my stern teacher-face and issued an ultimatum: “I need to see a page of writing by tomorrow!” They pretended to look contrite and hustled back to their “task.”

One afternoon while checking in with the dispersed student groups, I was unable to locate eight boys who were supposed to be working on their podcasts in the common space and mini-labs nearby. I soon discovered all of them in the tiny team room with Diego and Phil. The atmosphere in the small room was riotous. The collaborative work on the podcast managed to engage not only Diego and Phil, but most of the class as well. Just what were the eight boys doing in the team room? They were actually helping with the recording; they were having a blast! There was a just one page of writing, but they were all involved in the important work of creating lyrics. “You gotta listen to this!” they all called out excitedly.

Using the podcasting technology is a highly engaging activity for all of the students. As an added bonus, reading and hearing their own writing is an effective literacy strategy. The use of technology sure can help students be highly engaged in their learning by giving them a novel way to write, create a product, collaborate with others, and have fun. But, this engagement does not always mean that learning is occurring and good work is being produced.

I’d noticed Parson working intensely on his laptop over the past few days. It was a relief to see him so engaged; he was a boy who often fell asleep in class and rarely showed much enthusiasm for anything non-sports related. My occasional visits to his desk affirmed he was working on his research project as the appropriate sites were always displayed on his screen. Well, he was researching all right. Another student spied the work-in-progress and was greatly disturbed. I confiscated the computer, but didn’t see the problem until the computer went to “sleep.” Up starts the screensaver slideshow in all its naked and pornographic imagery. Even months later, when I think of the glimpse I saw of the pornography on Parson’s laptop, I feel offended, invaded. I take some responsibility for not monitoring Parson’s laptop use more carefully, but truly the responsibility lies with him; he had created the slide show at home beyond the reaches of our school’s firewall.

In a public setting, the rights of the group must be honored. Parson explicitly broke the Technology Contract he signed. This resulted in an immediate loss of his laptop for a month, and the loss of Internet access for the year. But even more, it resulted in the invasion of our safe community. Parson’s story is not unusual. Several times a week, I take time to deal with a case of students on inappropriate sites. The misuse of technology can - and does - disrupt the well being of our democratic classroom. What may be deeply engaging to one student can be highly offensive to the majority of the group. Every day I struggle with the dilemma of how much “freedom” to allow my students to exercise as they explore the vast world at their fingertips.

The staff was right on when they predicted the laptops would be a “mixed blessing.”

Stories of Energy: Doing or Stagnating?

The laptop is a highly developed tool that offers interactive simulations. But some would also assert that it is an expensive pacifier often used in schools to occupy the restless.

In the middle years, hands-on learning activities are highly desired by the students. My entire language arts curriculum is online, accessible from anywhere for those on vacation or out sick. Links lead students to further study and interactive practice. Students can easily move ahead at their own pace or linger longer on ideas that intrigue them. Additionally, students love to build on the curriculum by finding supplemental websites that enrich our units of study. John Chambers, CEO of Cisco believes “the future of education will see technology creating a new classroom experience where all students will find learning an engaging, interactive way of life.”

The laptop technology has given us multiple ways to create, discover, and explore. Around our school, students are using their laptops to create iMovies about global warming and Civil War enactments. They’re using software such as Appleworks to create research brochures about issues, Comic Life to design graphic organizers, Keynote to document learning about famous people and places, and Noteshare to collaborate in a classroom discussion board. They are able to visit online museums and talk with Holocaust survivors via videoconferencing. Field trips and service learning are captured with digital cameras and slide shows. Traditional paper and pencil tasks have sprung to life with these various programs that appeal in different ways to students and teachers. In our school, many of us have specialized in particular programs, thereby becoming the “expert down the hall.” By learning these programs together and from each other, our learning community has become much more democratic, with interdependence on others for assistance in learning.

Furthermore, there is the bonus of built-in assistive technology: the laptops can read text aloud which helps the students who have literacy difficulties, and the font size can be easily magnified to help those with visual issues. In most cases, finished products look professional for all the students. US Education Secretary Margaret Spellings insists that we “leverage the power of technology to customize instruction.” The laptop is not only a great energizer, but also a great equalizer.

On the other hand, too much of a good thing isn’t good. Some students spend so much time online that their parents say they won’t come to dinner, sit down to read a book, or go outside to play. This computer compulsion is merely an extension of the too-much-TV and video game obsessions. In addition, adults have been known to use the computers as pacifiers at home and in schools: “I love it when the kids are working on their computers; it’s so quiet,” some teachers boast. In these cases, energy has been suffocated with stagnation. In Japan, some students have become so withdrawn that they suffer from “school refusal,” a growing social disorder among young people. They just want to stay home all the time. We certainly must be aware that some children can develop an unhealthy attachment to the screen.

Another worry about stagnation involves the perceived regression of the English language. I’ve heard parents and teachers both worry about students’ lack of pride in penmanship and spelling. During conferences, many parents have bemoaned the overuse of word processing robbing students of their handwriting skills. Many teachers in my school have noticed a diminishing awareness of homophones such as there/they’re/their. Perhaps the spellchecking capabilities of word-processing programs give students a false sense of good editing. “I spellchecked,” they announce as they pass in their final drafts. Then there is IM (Instant Messaging) talk. Mbf- i will brb to talk to u, lol.* More and more adults seem to be complaining about this degradation of the English language as students fall into the lazy language that is the beloved shorthand of online teens. Every class demands a constant balancing act to split time equally between screens and paper, formal and informal English, to ensure a high quality multimodal learning experience.

Stories of Caring: Reaching out vs. Striking Out

The use of on-line technology offers lightning fast communication. In our land of free speech, it’s become increasingly easy to publicly hurt and even harass others. My colleagues were certainly correct when they referred to the laptop technology as a “two-edged sword.”

“The point is to place children in a setting that emphasizes collaboration, as well as sensitivity and responsibility for others,” asserts Neil Postman in The End of Education. Technology presents a paradox; instant on-line communication allows the best and worst of human nature to surface as we type our words and send them off with the click of a button. Social networking safety becomes a curriculum priority as our students send email, chat on-line, and post blogs.

The use of one-on-one computing in our school has enabled us to reach out to other people from all over the world. “Great benefits would come to our students if they could communicate with their peers in other nations,” surmises George Lucas, Founder and Chairman of the George Lucas Education Foundation. Students have been able to email not only students from Iran, Jordan, and Japan, but also with adult Holocaust survivors from around the United States. Meaningful bonds have been established.

My students have been communicating with friends from afar through the monitored email program epals.com. Students –with their parents’ permission – were able to email Japanese students from Kotohira, Kagawa, who were in level 3 (grade 9) of junior high school. These Japanese students wrote in English, as they were practicing their skills learned over the past 3 years. Conversations generally centered on music, school life, sports, food, and friends. Our new Japanese friends have even invited us to visit them and stay in their homes! This exchange of friendship not only helped our students with their inquiry of Japanese culture during our Journey to Japan interdisciplinary unit, but also whetted their appetite for travel. Here is an example of an e-pal exchange between Jean and her new Japanese friend Ayaka.

Hello Ayakai,

My name is Jean. I would like to know a little about your culture and about where you live. I would like to learn a little about you and your interests and hobbies and what your school is like.

I have so many questions. How long is your school day? Our school day is from 7:30 AM through 2:00 PM. What is your favorite subject in school? What do you do in gym class, art, and music?

What is Tokyo like? Lastly, I’m not sure what girls day is. Maybe you could explain it to me?

Byebye! Jean(:

Dear Jean,

I live in Japan. There are 47 the metropolis and districts in Japan. I live in Kagawa - the smallest prefecture in Japan. And Kagawa prefecture is famous for Japanese noodles. We call it udon. It is delicious. I like Japan very much! But, I want to go to foreign countries. My hobby is playing badminton, using a computer, reading comic books and exchanging e-mails. How about you? There are about 260 students in our school. Our school start at eight in the morning and finish at about four afternoon. My favorite subjects are English and P.E. Now, P.E. we are playing basketball.

I have uniforms. How about you? Now in art class we put pictures. And after I finish it, I will draw comic.

Tokyo is very very wonderful! I didn't go there. But, I will go there this spring vacation and on a school excursion. It will be a fun.

I have questions also. Which do you like, sky or sea? I like sky. I think sky is the largest of all. What's your favorite color? My favorite color is orange or yellow. Do you know "E.T."? It's movie. We looked it last week. It's very moving. Do you know "Harry Potter"? I like it very much. I have two books about "Harry Potter".

We are going to start spring vacation next Saturday. But, I want to talk with you still. If English class finish, I will exchange e-mail you.

See you, Ayaka.

Three months later, these email letters still fly back and forth across oceans and time zones in a matter of minutes. Regardless of whether Jean and Ayaka ever meet each other in person, the learning is lasting and profound.

In addition to using on-line communication to establish friendships and learn about culture, students regularly use email to clarify assignments with their teachers after school hours. It takes just a few seconds to answer a homework question on-line, but this can greatly reduce anxiety on the part of the student who may be struggling. I’ve even had ill students email from home to find out what they missed in class, and many students who prefer to pass their written work in as email attachments. This helps with their organization, and saves paper, too.

On-line communication provides powerful social connections. But occasionally, cybertalk can be hurtful and kids can use the anonymity of their screen name to strike out at others. Often these episodes have far-reaching repercussions in the school community.

In NeaToday, Cindy Long notes, “Teens everywhere are connecting on MySpace, but is it a safe space? It’s all part of the social networking revolution. Making connections is what powers the popularity of sites like MySpace, but it can also be cause for concern.” Internet chatting is an integral part of my students’ lives. But they are not always aware of the ramifications of communicating on public spaces such as MySpace and discussion forums.

Annie, one of my 7th grade Language Arts students, created a MySpace account at home to connect with her friends. Even though social networking sites such as these are blocked by our school’s firewall protection, she soon became a victim of public harassment and humiliation. At the beginning of class on a Monday morning, Annie approached me at my desk with a please-listen-to-me look on her face that I couldn’t ignore. “Can I talk to you about something really important?” she prefaced. “In the hall?” Over the weekend, Annie had accepted one of my homeroom students, Lana, as a “friend” on her MySpace account. Friends are then allowed to post public comments. Lana had posted comments referring to Annie as a “whore” and a “fat cow.” Annie was extremely hurt that a supposed friend could make such bullying comments for the entire world to see.

I recommended Annie close her MySpace account, and made mental notes to email the assistant principal about this bullying issue, and to call Annie’s mom. Monday had just begun, and I have a feeling this was going to be a long week. Later in the day, the multiple rumors and fights have started as friends choose up sides. My prep block is spent with Annie and the school resource officer, and later with the guidance counselor, as Annie fears the home repercussions of setting up a MySpace account against her mother’s wishes.

Not only has my class been interrupted by a technology event that occurred outside of the school realm, but I am also now in the delicate position of handling an ugly, and possibly legal issue between one of my students and one of my advisees. Outside social networking issues can take a huge toll on the emotional lives of students, teachers, and administrators. Rarely do the outside issues stay “outside.” Without careful monitoring of Internet use at school and at home, students’ safety and innocence can be jeopardized. I am constantly learning about the infinite ways teens know about how to circumvent the parameters created for their safety. I’d rather focus that energy elsewhere, but I need to be ever vigilant because technology can have such an invasive side: invasion of time, innocence, and emotional well-being. Yet once students are made aware of the pitfalls of these social networking boards, and learn to use caution with their comments and privacy, the rewards can easily outweigh the disadvantages.

There are teaching tools that may never change: the number two pencil, white-lined paper, Crayola crayons. Yet the ebb and flow of educational tides over the past three decades have delivered new treasures into the classroom. And yes, the old saying is true… “An old dog can learn new tricks.” For me, the laptop technology has turned the tide. It has moved me from the front of the classroom to the inside of the classroom. This tool has been an equalizer in my classroom. It has challenged me as a learner to enter the world of my students: to learn from them and with them. By using technology effectively, we see that learning together is fun, especially when it is shared in an engaging, energetic, and caring environment. It has created a place where “half of teaching is learning.”

*Glossary – Instant Messaging Language

Mbf My best friend

brb be right back

lol laugh out loud

Discussion questions

Which recent technology tool has impacted your teaching pedagogy the most? In what ways?
Does the use of technology in schools simplify or complicate our lives? Or both? What examples can you provide to demonstrate your stance?
How can we best use technology to differentiate for the unique needs of our students?
Should teachers and parents be concerned with the amount of time students spend in front of screens - at school, at home, at play, and even in the car? How do we create a balance for our children’s well-rounded development?

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