10/4 Response

10//4 reading response/reflection:
I have several reactions to this weeks readings.

Constructive controversy emphasizes engaging in smaller conflicts with the goal of understanding the larger problem. While I love the intent, I thing the impact can be a slippery slope. On the one hand a teacher can provide an opportunity for students to explore the definitions and factors that make up the problem, but on the other hand they can lose the forest in the trees. While "speed dating" and other opportunities to connect can be facilitated, they can also be seen as barriers/distractions to understanding of their "tree". I think the problem is probably in the performance orientation of our society; whereby we look for what needs to be turned in (pressure to finish) rather than formative reflection of change as finished products.

I've always been interested in cognitive dissonance; both personally and as a pedagogical tool. I think the conflict holds energy that can be used for learning and memory that is very powerful. The Horizon reports have me feeling a bit of cognitive dissonance about this blog and how to best use it as a learning tool. While I get the traditional benefits of reflection, I want to ask more questions and engage more opinions from others. I'm feeling like the structure is conflicting a bit with personal goals in that this is a public space where reflective language is almost a waste. Perhaps I need to be more succinct? Which leads me to think I should be less reflective and expressive. Is this forum a place for everyone to share? A place for me to share and others respond? A place for me to respond to others? Does it lose power if it's all three? Maybe I should create several blogs, each with a more structured format that will serve a more structured purpose...and not waste the readers' time? Should I read this over, edit it, and condense so it's more entertaining? Maybe I should text all my students and see what they think? Should I make it an assignment to have them respond?

final thoughts: I met a nice stranger today at the coffee shop, sitting next to me right now. He works for a cool new technology company that creates wireless platforms for businesses, homes, etc. We laughed about old PA systems in schools for a bit and then about how our parents use the computer to waste time on useless shit like virtual crops for their virtual farms. Our parents go home and go to the computer for fun while we go home and do our best to avoid the computer/devices as much as we can. While the mobile devices and cloud computing increases access, it also increases the expectation to be "on" 24-7. In other words, accessibility is a valid intent, but expectation to answer my current 268 emails on my phone every chance I get is an exhausting impact. If I don't ignore my device I get way out of balance. I don't want to be an annoying force on my students' lives and I don't want to send them useless shit. I'd hate for them to lose the forest of knowledge in the trees of assignments with rewards/punishment.

Perhaps I'm just wondering how to make the technology fun again?