Folks are excited about social networking tools. As teachers move to use these technologies, it forces a re-examination of what constitutes quality teaching…it forces us to rediscover the value of mayhem, the value of technologists as mischief-makers. As an experienced, veteran mischief-maker, I would be pleased to ban technology that is used in support of any of the following activities:
- Integrated learning systems like Plato, SuccessMaker, Compass Learning in situations where children go one-on-one with the technology.
- Tutorial software to drill students
- Edutainment titles–a la Reader Rabbit–that engage students for skill drill.
- Mis-use, or overuse, of diagnostic tools that constantly assess students where they are, then prescribe a learning path for improving their academic achievement.
- Internet as a “research” tool unaided by information problem-solving approaches such as the Big 6, FLIP IT!, KWHL
- Web-based publishing where the teacher does the work of publication, not the student (e.g. the teacher types up all the student writing because they want to correct students spelling/grammar errors before publication).
Instead, I would encourage the appropriate use of social networking tools in schools enable us all to receive the gift of mayhem. As Gregory Baum (Man Becoming) observes…
Some things precious to man can be produced by will power or merited by personal effort, but the important things just happen to a man. The profound things in human life are always gifts.
As disruptive as social networking tools are, they bring us into contact with each other so much more. They allow us to engage in dialogue, share and RECEIVE ideas in multimedia formats. This is the gift of mayhem, of havoc and disorder…in our ordered classrooms, placid ponds of passive procuration of knowledge, disruptive technologies should stir up a ripple.
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Another Think Coming 
Miguel:I'll play the devil's advocate here: Schools are not interested in disruptions of any kind. Schools are not interested in any type of "mayhem." School is about standardization, it is about order, it is about control. What you are proposing here is revolutionary. What planet are you living on?
Miguel:I'll play the devil's advocate here: Schools are not interested in disruptions of any kind. Schools are not interested in any type of “mayhem.” School is about standardization, it is about order, it is about control. What you are proposing here is revolutionary. What planet are you living on?
Wes, disrupting one's universe is the task of every superintendent. They accomplish that by making decisions that transform our perception of schooling, not just advocating change but facilitating the transition. The transition is that messy part, as I just heard in a Shifting schools podcast, that deals with the emotional part, the grief of moving to a new way of thinking.While we can achieve change, remaining in that changed state of being is another thing altogether. I like to think of it as those fighter pilots who would fly their planes up high enough to see the stars, but then fall back to the ground (gee, I hope that analogy works for you, Wes! (smile)).Take care,Miguel
Wes, disrupting one's universe is the task of every superintendent. They accomplish that by making decisions that transform our perception of schooling, not just advocating change but facilitating the transition. The transition is that messy part, as I just heard in a Shifting schools podcast, that deals with the emotional part, the grief of moving to a new way of thinking.While we can achieve change, remaining in that changed state of being is another thing altogether. I like to think of it as those fighter pilots who would fly their planes up high enough to see the stars, but then fall back to the ground (gee, I hope that analogy works for you, Wes! (smile)).Take care,Miguel
Interesting post. As a university professor who uses technology as a teaching tool in class, I agree with a number of your points about technology in the classroom.I originally found this post because it linked to one of my photographs of a garter snake swimming in a pond. Did you envision the snake as representing disruptive technology? I have removed the old, low-quality photo from my website. You can link to a new one here: Garter snake in a pondMike
Interesting post. As a university professor who uses technology as a teaching tool in class, I agree with a number of your points about technology in the classroom.I originally found this post because it linked to one of my photographs of a garter snake swimming in a pond. Did you envision the snake as representing disruptive technology? I have removed the old, low-quality photo from my website. You can link to a new one here: Garter snake in a pondMike