tkt8763-01: Education in the mainstream, Education in the digital divide, teachersnot in the discussion (fwd)

["Larry S. Anderson -- NCTP" <lsa1@ra.msstate.edu>]

I encourage all of us to read this and think about all its dimensions of
meanings.  We don't have to agree; we just have to pay attention!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1999 10:47:57 EDT
From: BBracey@aol.com
Subject: Education in the mainstream, Education in the digital divide,
     teachers not in the discussion


A conversation with friends I hope...

 Because of some of the work I have done nationally, I am reading and 
thinking a lot about why teachers in rural areas, in migrant areas, in 
distant areas, and in barrios, ghettos, and poor parts of the city do not 
feel as if they are included in the national debate on the Digital Divide. 
They write emails to me and ask how and why is that? I do not know. I am 
thinking.

Help me think?

I listened to Elizabeth Dole's speech on education, and I know the unions 
will help correct, but there was so much misinformation, that I cringed. Is 
there not a group of the people who work in these areas who are empowered, 
emboldened, passionate enough to tell the real story?

 Dole is not the only person with misinformation. Sometimes the general 
public takes us literally, and so if someone says that word processing does 
not serve as a good use of technology, the vignette from the Lucas Foundation 
showing kids learning to use word processors, and integrating curriculum, 
will be dismissed out of hand. 

If we had a vignette in a poor community with one computer, I think people 
would say, why did you film a poor part of the community, and there would be 
problems because people would say well a one computer classroom, what is that 
supposed to mean, that we can't do better?

Sometimes you need a place to start from. I started using an Apple 2E, and 
was coached because I found NASA, National Geographic, NEA, and the 
Challenger Center. But I am single? What do people do who have other 
responsibilities or a hard economic reality? I think they teach and that is 
all. This has to change. Change could start in a church basement, in a CTC 
net.

                                        TEACHING IN THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?

The digital divide? It is a place between a rock and a hard place. It is 
urban, it is rural, it is ethnic.. and so on....But we ought to be able to 
solve some of this with the technology tools. We have by showing multiple 
examples of how, and showing and sharing from the hood, the barrio, the 
Indian village or whatever the name is that we give to the places where 
education is inferior. IT ( Instructional Technology) can work. Education can 
work. 

If there are truly only .05 percent American Indian, only 1 percent Hispanics 
in science in math, and only 2 percent African Americans.. it will be hard 
going to involve teachers in the places that they can learn what they need to 
to demonstrate that they too can learn. They may have a bigger task of 
reinventing themselves as a teacher based on their own learning experiences. 
So they may have to learn a lot when they are connected to all of that 
information that was never taught in teacher education. There are teachers 
who went through great colleges where the schools of education were not 
esteemed so it is a teacher problem in other places too.
http://www.ncate.org/projects/tech/TECH.HTM


 Look at what NCATE has to say about being a teacher, teacher education and 
technology.
 
Today's teachers must be ready to play a variety of roles in the classroom: 
educator, motivator, guide, counselor, coach, and disciplinarian. They must 
also be prepared for the demands on their time outside the classroom: grading 
papers, planning lessons, dealing with a myriad of administrative tasks. 
Teachers must be prepared to work as part of a team, combining their efforts 
with colleagues, supervisors, and parents to create the best possible 
learning environment for their students. In addition, teacher must 
continually educate themselves--learning about new advances in education, new 
technologies, and new ways to inspire students to reach their full 
potential.( they did not talk about bake sales, washing cars, Dare, and all 
of the other programs that intrude upon our time and subtract from our 
teaching time...) Needs to be discussed. They also did not talk about test 
driven teachers. Check these cartoons to get an idea. They should talk about 
constant attacks from the press. Bad mouthing and ridicule are often a part 
of the dialogue. Many teachers are working while being ridiculed. It is not a 
wonderful way to improve the teacher ratios, or to attract people to 
education. 

There are few people who are moved to be missionaries.

 And so why are the experts people often people who do not know this arena? 

What is an educational expert?

http://www.borg.com/~rjgtoons/edu.html

There are foundations working to make a difference. Look at this model of 
integrated curriculum.
Example one.. <http://www.glef.org/learnlive/toolkit/toolkit.html>

Exploring the Scientific Process: Albert, Charles, and the Quest for a Wasp 
Clear View Charter School, Chula Vista, CA Follow classmates Albert and 
Charles in Jim Dieckmann's 4th/5th grade class as they research insects, 
create multimedia reports, and prepare questions to pose to entomologists at 
San Diego State University. Then, through a two-way fiber-optic connection to 
the University, students and scientists look at insect body parts together 
using an electron microscope. The interaction with experts helps Albert and 
Charles deepen their understanding of the scientific process.

I used to do that with the resources of NASA, and or the National Geographic, 
but I also was taught by them to do that kind of teaching. How do we help 
those who have not connected the dots? How do we help those teachers who need 
the MOST help?

Even in remote Namibia, where the connection is at a museum, technology can 
and has been used to do similar and same kinds of experiments. Tom Snyder has 
the one computer classroom projects, and NSCA has a BugScope that for a 
little bit of cost, gives any classroom the ability to replicate the main 
idea of the project at Clearview. 
http://bugscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/bugscope99/

It is the idea of the mindmapping and learning how that is the concern that I 
have. I doubt that the pundits KNOW enough about teaching to make the 
decisions that they broadcast on the air in the news, about what is right? I 
don't profess to have all of the answers. 

I live in Washington DC which proclaims itself the new technology capital of 
the world. 
See,(<http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/10/biztech/articles/12boom.html>)

 I know that Shirley Malcolm of the AAAS is trying to make a difference in 
the Washington DC schools, and that NASA, Bob Gabrys is doing systemic change 
with NEW, and that there are many other little things going on. Where are the 
stories? Do people appreciate that being a teacher in a difficult situation 
is like two or three jobs in one and that maybe, just maybe after a long , 
hard year, ( unless one has to take a course) that one might not want to do 
anything but rest? What ever happened to a year of leave to study? Don't we 
have enough venture capitalists to sponsor a class of teachers of diversity 
for the year 2001?

Before you answer that, ask yourself this question?

 If you had a sponsor who wanted a person of color, or a person who worked in 
a remote area, or with migrant students, or with children in the ghetto, Or 
with a Native American population... who would be the person of choice for 
you to reccomend for that group? Someone who could articulate the problem, 
give the research, share a personal story, and then continue to network with 
the people? There are a few of us. There are not many.

In a meeting at NASA, I am on the Program Review Committee for NASA 
Educational workshops that includes, The Challenger Center, the US Space 
Foundation, the NEW, NEWEST and NEWMAST summer workshops at NASA bases, and 
the Eisenhower National Clearing House, and a good representation of NASA 
people from the top who want to know why they are NOT attracting a diverse 
group of educators. I have theories and ideas, but I am not the national 
poster child for all teachers. Though I have traveled the US in CyberEd, and 
worked in lots of unusual places, my voice may be muted or dismissed because 
I was on the national stage. I think people would say, tainted by government.

Can you help me think why they don't get diverse educators? Can you help us? 
<http://www.nsta.org/programs/sst/new/nnbrochr.html>

The NFIE has a leadership grant... <http://www.nfie.org/ldrshp.htm>
 Not many people at all apply? Do you know why? These opportunities will 
disappear without applications. What do you think is wrong?

I also understand the reluctance of others to enter our communities and to 
tell us, show us, point the way. But this is the problem. Leadership has to 
start somewhere , and perhaps many of the people in these communities, need a 
helping hand, and I am not talking about just money. I am talking about 
embracing the idea that all people, all teachers can learn and be effective 
with modeling for new ways of teaching and learning. And there are places 
that teachers can go, and grants.. but having taught in places where I was so 
tired, so hassled, so test driven, so embattled to get things for my kids 
because I was not in the priviledged part of the community, It is a steep 
hill to climb and sometimes not worth the struggle without support of some 
kind. People get tired.

Sometimes we are behind the curve. Sometimes we have to help children solve 
other kinds of problems. I was often in touch with pro-child. I was often 
meeting with parents. The grants that I was able to write were done during 
the holidays, or at midnight and the first year I wrote, I did not know how, 
so I did not get any grants. Bu I tried again.. who helps us do these things?
. Should we have to get grants? Some say it is a screening process and that 
makes it valid. Maybe so.

Teachers and administrators need some time in working with people who do what 
we would like to have them accomplish, and they need to be aware of resources 
that are available to them. They may need some time out from the classroom , 
in summer, in a year's leave to study and learn, or some thing that is like 
the Christa McAuliffe workshops used to be, where the person continues to 
teach, but is sponsored to conferences, meetings and a summer workshop 
sanctioned by some powerful organization. 

The Benton foundation has interest, a lot of people have interest... but some 
money would be needed for this, if you think it is a viable idea. I know you 
don't think those teachers are in schools with grant writers, with funders 
beyond the minute charity deal( A minute on tv). How do we establish a 
greenhouse of ideas? Everything cannot be on a web site. If people had the 
time to peruse the web sites, and the equipment , perhaps. Most do not have 
what we assume they have. Spiderweb maybe?

Misty Brave, Marilyn Schlief, Carol Gilkinson, Jim and I were a part of the 
NEA , Christa McAuliffe Institute on diversity.( <www.nfie.org>) We were 
women except Jim( in technology at that time... wow), we were different in 
diversity, we were taught, given background, prepped by being involved with 
educational leaders .. it was not a piece of cake... we had to learn the 
national dialogue, but we did we had to learn about each other's cultures and 
ways of working but we did...and we crafted our own summer workshop with 
educators back then in 1992 that included national teachers, and 
international teachers( and technological connections). But, you know what, 
it was a reward. We were funded and we got a pat on the back. Teachers 
working hard often only get intrinsic rewards. Why is that? What is wrong 
with peer sharing and teaching and teacher to teacher initiatives?What is 
wrong with an award?

Now people think leadership only has to be systemic. There is some change 
that happens one person at a time. Sometimes that can create a change. I 
worked in a school that was on the wrong side of the county and we won a Blue 
Ribbon of Education award. It can be done. No one loved us in that 
educational setting for being able to do that in the community, but it made 
us feel validated. It gave us hope. I am going to say something really rude. 
Sometimes the educational leader of a school is also set in concrete. It take 
a long time for some people to leave a school or move and principals have a 
lot more staying power than teachers because they are in charge. Why don't we 
evaluate principals?

SYSTEMIC CHANGE IS NEEDED..but

But, that means you have to have permission. That means you have to be 
favored by the system where you work. Think about the group that I am talking 
about/ How many of them are Presidential winners in science and math, how 
many of then have been Einstein Fellows? How many even know about that 
funding? Systemic works, that would be the preferred way, but we still need 
individual leaders. Changing a system happens slowly too.We still need 
individuals who can show and share the possibilities. I have been involved in 
projects that were addressing the systemic changes... they don't always work 
either. Also, one of my best aha's was when working with a researcher who 
finally saw the reality of the poor schools. I think she thinks it can never 
change. But it can. She has never DONE it. There are people who have effected 
change.

More the people who often speak for those of us who work in the digital 
divide areas, may be looking at the whole idea from a theoretical basis. 
People may be making decisions based on what they know of the situation( 
sometimes that is not much).I mean even good , and well meaning people. 
People tell me they participated in the Black Caucus. So?That's a whole 
different thing.

People may be pontificating because of what they think the researchers have 
to say, and in truth most researchers have not been working with these 
teachers. I can name a few, Margaret Riel, Elliot Solloway , Robbie from 
Columbia who really have worked in a variety of places. What principals do 
you know who are in leadership? I know one or two. Can you name teachers who 
have told their stories of working in the ghetto?On Indian Reservations? On 
remote Islands? In Eskimo communities?

I have heard a million tales that are not anywhere on line, or in the 
literature, or in the research. The tellers of the tales may not have the 
time to reach out to the public. I have a whole host of teacher friends of 
all colors and kinds who are doing what we say need to be done, but they 
don't know the path to opportunities that are there for them.

Why are there not these people, and some teachers from the affected areas on 
the airwaves, writing articles, and being involved in the discussion? Must 
all discussions on the reality of the digital divide be from theorists, 
politicians, well meaning people who do not know schools, and people who have 
no cultural understanding of the communities they speak for?Andy Carvin is 
one different example. He surrounded himself with teachers and people 
involved in the whole digital divide project. But usually, I guess we don't 
have time to involve people who are not educational leaders in seeing the 
reality. But we have tons of money to spend for prisons.

This is long... and I apologize.

Where is the class of 2001 and why can't we help individual leaders in a 
systemic way? There are foundations working.. can't we do a big national 
project putting together the bits and pieces ? National Advisory group of 
EDUCATORS and some "experts?" A couple of meetings? Sponsorship to a couple 
of conferences where they don't have to pay their way and a hotel bill?

Bonnie Bracey

******* TKT 8763 Seminar in Planning for Instructional Technology  *******
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