This is the end of a reply I made to discussion on the Grou.ps forum. I'm trying to set up an introdction to PLN's and Blogging for my staff at school and asked the group for help/advice. Susan O'Grady commented about the frustration with the blinkered view that a lot of people have about change. Specifically we were talking about educators, but the problem isn't limited to us. It applies to anyone.
I think that the blinkers are there as a result of fear. My first school was quite get up and go but we were a hard-to-staff school in Moree. I'm in Nowra now, relatively easy to staff because everyone wants to retire to the coast. Unfortunately, an older teaching population (being age-ist!) results in more conservatism. It's hard work staying up with current trends in technology, especially if you start to feel increasingly out of touch with it. At some point, self-preservation kicks in and you stop thinking "I'm out of touch" and start to think "The World's gone mad and it's all a fad anyway!" and so stop trying.
I'm lucky in that I've been playing with computers for the last 30 years, since my Dad borrowed a Sinclair ZX80 from his work. I've (luckily) never been scared about breaking my computer. I've always just played and learned things. It was the same with PLENK. I had a great deal of fun exploring all the tools.
A large part of the fear is reinforced by the negative experiences people have had or have heard about with the web. Identity theft, cyber-bullying, and the like. My own philosophy, especially since joining PLENK, is that the more positive and progressive my online persona is, then the more resilient it will become and the less llikely that negative interactions are going to have a dramatic impact on it.
Lightbulb moment - Online-Self Efficacy!!
No comments:
Post a Comment