Block Eight Highlights

I understood the term "disruptive technologies" by Dr. Clayton Christenson from Harvard's School of Business to mean that someone from somewhere along the steady flow of progress that we have traditionally followed, will grow from the 'bottom of the market' or go and grow against the traditional and expected grain of progress in a least expected or determined way. This new link provides a more functional and more successful advantages for members who no longer have or want a place in regular mainstream . A great example of this is creating programming via technology for students who want an education but cannot afford the high cost of tuition at a university or meeting the needs of those students whose own school cannot provide the courses they require because of a lack of teachers or service providers. Prince Albert Grand Council and a college in Alberta created a Virtual High School called Credenda. Students in PAGC schools in N.Sask. can take H.S. sciences and math online. THey meet on a regular basis online with their colleagues (teachers and classmates) and many are passing 20 and 30 classes with very good marks because the students love meeting online and they want to learn.

In essence, the failure of educational institutions to do their job of providing an education for students becomes the impetus for business organizations to get involved, take over, and do a better job providing students with an education that prepares them for their future quicker, better, and all the while making a profit. The motto of Florida's Virtual High School is "any time,any place, any path, any pace". This school's disruptive technology offers "personalized instruction" and "dynamic, flexible,engaged learning". The normal 4 walled classroom has become 'flat' according to David Warlick and CoolCatTeacher blogger Vicki Davis and in Oprah's words, the planet's "largest classroom" is created as students chat with professors via Skype, video conferencing, and use a myriad of other ICT's as they take courses with classmates who may never greet each other in real time.

Not using technology also puts us in a predicament when trying to create understanding and place in a world full of "chaos" or 'unpredictability'. By reaching out to others to help 'make meaning and create connections we can begin to make sense of the unpredictability of patterns which are occurring in our technological age. George Seimens stands out most in my mind from the last two weeks as I have heard a podcast by Dr. Christenson mention both words again and again in reference to the changes we need address to keep up with as a result of our dependence and need for technology.

The bottom line is that technology is here to stay and is changing the world as we know or knew it at an incredibly quick rate. Struggling digital immigrants need to grab hold of one's fear and forge ahead anyway in an act of courage and determination. Somewhere along this journey I learned that it is better to 'manipulate technology than to be manipulated by it' and our roles as learners and educators requires that we strive to prepare children ethically and safely as they increase their abilities and opportunities creatively, collaboratively, and in connection with global partners.

As Will Richardson says "teachers must be willing to be connectors...in order to give students meaningful, relevant opportunities to teach the rest of us what they know." http://www.flatclassrooms.com/Reviews