Education Trends, Uncategorized | Jun 28, 2011
Stop the tech snobbery
By Angela Watson
Founder and Writer
Stop the tech snobbery
By Angela Watson
If we want to ever get technophobes comfortable with technology, those of us who love the stuff have got to stop being tech snobs. I’m at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference where tech lovers in education unite. Unfortunately, there are occasional wafts of divisiveness that kill the otherwise pervasive spirit of collaboration and enthusiastic learning here:
- Said to a publisher in the exhibit hall as he walked past dismissively: “I don’t read [printed] books. I have no use for them.”
- Tweeted on Twitter: “I can’t believe tech people are hearing things at this conference that are 100% brand new to them. Very SCARY.”
- Announced by a presenter in a session: “It burns me up inside when teachers tell me they’re using technology and then show me a PowerPoint they created. Doesn’t that burn you guys up?”
Um, no, it doesn’t.
You can’t shame educators into using technology any more than you can shame kids into behaving. Does it work? Yeah, sometimes. But it also breeds resentment, bitterness, and fear which make learning twice as hard.
If people are resistant to your ideas or slow to adapt them, it might be because they sense a patronizing, conscending attitude, one that you don’t intend to show but shines through nevertheless. They know you’re mocking them behind their backs to your fellow techies, which makes them resistant not only to you but to all the wonderful technology that you represent. It’s tough for learners to be open to new possibilities when they feel judged and defensive.
So, if you really want non-tech people to incorporate tech use into their instructional practice, you have to inspire them, not embarrass them. You have to demonstrate the passion you want others to exhibit. Be so enthusiastic about what you do that it’s contagious. Make experiences with technology so enjoyable that people can’t help but shift their paradigm.
Model. Support. Scaffold. Meet the non-tech users right where they’re at. Praise and encourage them in their small wins. Acknowledge that the learning curve is tough, and you’ve been there too…but the payoff is worth the perseverance.
That’s the way we treat our students. It’s the way we need to treat each other, too.
Angela Watson
Founder and Writer
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I will play Devil’s Advocate here:
Would you be confident with a doctor that has not updated his or her instruments since the 1970s?
Would you use an airline who’se pilots proudly proclaim that they liked the DC3 and really don’t need training on these newfangled jets they are flying?
Would you watch a movie that uses special effects that were all the rage in 1950?
No, you expect those professions to keep up with the times.
At some point, we have to stop. We have to look around. We have to say to ourselves that there should be little or no room for teachers that “this is all new to us.”
Really?
Really?
Computers have been standard equipment in schools since the mid 1990s. The internet has been around at least 20 years. Teachers that say “this is all new to us” either haven’t been paying ANY attention to their profession for hte past 20 or 30 years, OR they have made a conscience decision to ignore it. Either way, they are guilty of educational malpractice.
Do you feel sorry for people that started smoking AFTER they were given the warnings about lung cancer? I have a real hard time doing so…Same for teachers that have not kept up to date..
Hi, Tim! Thanks for the push back. I’m a devil’s advocate myself. 🙂
I agree that teachers need to keep up with the times. And I don’t feel sorry for the ones who haven’t; I feel empathy toward them. The idea of being a life-long learner is not something that is inherent in our field; many tech-resistant teachers entered the profession a very long time ago when it was assumed that a bachelor’s degree was all you needed to teach for life. The idea that they need to have a personal learning network and become proficient in the latest trends (which they’ve seen come and go repeatedly) is a huge paradigm shift for them. I get that and choose not to let it frustrate me.
I guess the real point is this, though–if teachers who refuse to incorporate technology into their instruction are indeed guilty of “educational malpractice” as you put it, we need to figure out the best approach to fix the situation. We can blame and shame and try to force them out of the classroom–that’s certainly being done. Or we can show support and inspire them to improve their practice. As instructional technology coach I can attest that you catch more flies with honey.
I’m not certain that they ARE guilty of educational malpractice, though. If their students are not learning the subject area content, it’s probably because they are unskilled teachers in many ways other than being technophobes. If we force them to use technology, it still won’t change their attitudes toward teaching and the kids, so our efforts are better spent addressing the underlying issues.
And if their kids ARE learning the subject area content, then what’s the problem? There’s more than one effective way to teach. Just yesterday at ISTE, someone tweeted that their district’s teacher of the year uses no technology at all, but his kids are constantly engaged in hands-on activities and meaningful projects so they love to learn. Should we mandate that he change his teaching style? Why mess with someone who’s already got a working system when there are so many struggling teachers?
These are just some thoughts that are running through my head right now…ultimately I believe the way to inspire true inner change is not with outrage and accusations, but with kindness and compassion.
Here is a blog entry I wrote on the topic back in November:
http://tinyurl.com/3bqu6wl
Love the conversation!
Tim
Agreed, this is a great conversation! The thing is, yes, people have been exposed to computers for the last 27 years, but things are changing so fast no that I think a lot of people are just get frustrated and can’t keep up. I’ve only encountered a handful of teachers who didn’t have email, couldn’t conduct a Google search, and didn’t know how to type and print a doc in Word. I’d estimate 95% of teachers can do these things. So almost all do have SOME exposure and are using computers to some extent in their personal and professional lives. They’re doing more than we give them credit for when we write them off as “resistant.” They’re not resisting EVERYTHING. Just because it’s not web 2.0 doesn’t mean it doesn’t count.
Angela, this is exceptionally well written and well-stated. I thought about writing a similar post, but couldn,t quite find the right manner in which to say it. I am at ISTE ’11, as well. This is my first time attending as it is in my home state. While this view is a generalization, as there have been many incredibly open and accepting people with whom I’ve connected here, I must say that I am incredibly surprised by the clique-like community and yes, tech-snobbery. Thank you for sharing this. It hugely helps to know you are not alone in this perception.
As we try and change the culture in our schools, with our students, we can’t afford to treat each other like this. Yes, it is fun to socialize and meet up with folks we haven’t seen in a while, but really, we are here to learn. It’s difficult to do that when people aren’t terribly open in person.
Thanks, Suzie! This was my first ISTE, too. I didn’t notice a clique-like community, but many people who already know one another online were meeting up face to face so that may have made you feel a bit excluded. Also, people who travel in groups to conferences (not just ISTE) tend to stick together and can be a bit difficult to approach, in my experience. I did notice a lot of school groups splitting up at ISTE which was great. Anyone that I approached for conversation (even if I was not in the ‘clique’) was very friendly and welcoming. I agree with you that it’s very important that we’re open with one another in person.
It’s worth stating that Suzie put on one of the best (even better now that I’ve learned that it was her first ISTE) and most useful BYOLs of the conference about Diigo…with about 3 days to prep because she was filling in for Vicki Davis who (understandably) couldn’t attend.
Snobbery in education in this day and age, when schools are under such scrutiny and teachers are under fire, really has no place. Let’s celebrate the amazing educators that are out there doing amazing things in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles and let’s band together in these times of strife. I have a terrific boss who often likes to say (even though some don’t like to hear it) “It’s not about you.” No truer words have ever been spoken to teachers. It’s about our students and if you forget that, whether you’re in front of them in your classroom or at an international technology classroom, you have dropped the ball. Pick it up and remember why you’re here and why you’re doing what you’re doing…you’re not here to bask in the glory of your admiring twitter followers, but rather to make a difference in the lives of those that should mean the most to us…our students.
Powerful stuff, Ben! I think what we’re really talking about here is an unpopular but necessary attribute in Western culture today: humility. The ability to put ego to the side and focus on a greater, communal good. There are so many distractions, but ultimately, that’s why our community of educators comes together at events like ISTE: to learn from one another and contribute to something greater than ourselves. The more we humble ourselves and approach one another with openness, the more we can accomplish.
The more I think about it, the more “It’s not about you/us” rings true. Might be my new mantra!
Thank you again, Ben, for the kind words. Both you and Angela have hit the nail on the head with the direction of your thoughts. I was excited by the opportunity to present because I love Diigo and use it regularly. While I had only a short time to prepare and wasn’t exactly certain what I was getting myself into, I did it for two reasons. First, to help a very good friend in need. Second, and most important, because when I have to the opportunity to teach and share with others, I learn a lot. People ask questions about concepts I hadn’t considered. In turn, I can take new perspectives back to my students. When that happens, ultimately we open up new doors for our students.
Yes, it is so important that we recognize and be mindful at all times of the reason we are there. Apologies, Angela, for taking up comment space that is a bit of a segue from the initial intent of your post. Ultimately, so very many of us are passionate about how our experiences can help to transform our students and this was one of them.
Thank you for the reply, Angela. Perhaps clique-like was not exactly the sentiment I should have conveyed. Again, you state it perfectly in acknowledging the meet ups between people who have a long-standing relationship online. I’ve learned, though, to be more proactive next time. The more I read others’ posts about approachability, or lack thereof in some instances, the more I am able to reflect and note what I can do differently next time to make such a fantastic experience even better. You are right, there are so many people who are open, inviting, and willing to help and teach you what you don’t know.
I think it is a very exclusive group:
Look at the GROUP picture from Edublogger Con from ISTE 11: http://www.edubloggercon.com/EduBloggerCon+2011
Notice something about that picture?
There is an incredible lack of ethnicity.
Count the number of African Americans in the group.
Hispanics?
It looks awfully white, awefully middle class.
Tim! I totally noticed this! I was actually at EduBloggerCon and didn’t pay much attention until that group photo of us was posted after lunch. My first thought was, wow, where’s the diversity? My second thought was, how can we increase it? Good stuff to think about.
Tim,
You use the word, “Exclusive” when referring to Edubloggercon and although I was not at EBC11 or ISTE11, I have been in the past few years and I take exception to your choice of words. Edubloggercon is absolutely not exclusive. The very premise of EBC is to include everyone. ANYONE can come, there is no cost. ANYONE can present or host a session and EVERYONE can join in on ANY discussion. There is no exclusivity. I have yet to hear of anyone feeling uncomfortable at an EBC. EBCs are the place where the “famous” meet the “newbies” meet the “tech challenged” meet the “geeks” and the playing field is level. It’s an exciting experience and the fact that there’s not ethnic diversity is NOT for lack of openness.
Hi, Lee! Thanks for stopping by and adding to this discussion. You make a really important clarification here: EduBloggerCon is designed to be INclusive. Certainly the invitation is open to all, and all are respected and welcome (I felt that very sincerely at the event.) The fact that most attendees were of the same ethnic background and social class is not a reflection on the event or its organizers; it speaks to to something much bigger that I can’t quite put my finger on. Ed tech in general tends to attract people from that particular background.
From talking to people at EduBloggerCon and ISTE, it also seemed that most attendees taught in suburban or rural districts–very, very few were inner city teachers, which is where you can often find ethnic diversity in the teaching force. This could be partially attributed to the fact that urban schools tend to have less funding and therefore less technology, so teachers who want to go fully 21st century are attracted to the wealthier suburban districts. There are lots of factors at play here—but none of them have to do with an exclusionary nature of EduBloggerCon.
Well said – couldn’t agree more. Everyone comes in at different levels of know how. Imagine if we said to our students “You’re still reading Encyclopedia Brown books – that was sooo 20 years ago” – or something more menacing. That’s not so different from the PowerPoint comment you shared from the presenter.
Great post.
Mike, I was thinking the exact same thing! Some people might say that the way we treat our students is different from the way we treat one another, but we’re all part of the education community. We need to practice what we preach!
Love this! One of my tweets was simply, “keep it positive” as I had a similar experience as you.
Listening to some of that tech snobbery made me wonder what students would think of their teachers behavior…don’t we teach them to do the right thing no matter who is watching?
Hi, Ellen! Good for you for speaking up on Twitter. It’s up to the participants to set the tone for the conference. We’re the ones who shape the quality of the experience, and we’re the ones who determine what flies in presentations. We can set the expectation of a community of learners in which everyone is accepted and welcomed.