4.2: Digital Literacy

The Edutopia Blog article that I chose to read is not necessarily directly linked to digital literacy, but I think it is directly tied to learning retention and just as important.

Balancing Work and Life: The Ongoing Challenge for Educators.

I don't feel like I can adequately learn new technologies or implement them in my classroom when I'm stretched too thin. I don't feel I retain what I'm learning myself - how can I expect my students to have learning retention if the learning curve is too fast and too steep? They'll do exactly what I did to get through high school - cram the night before the test, rely on having a good short term memory, and not retain the information for use later in life.

I spend so much time in front of a computer screen these days, I feel like my retinas are melting and my brain is rotting. Yes, technology is wonderful. But you need exercise, you need outdoors - those are valuable pursuits personally and educationally too, and I've found a lack of time for them.

This is the second online graduate course I've taken this year, and the second time I've found myself working on a class when I'm supposed to be on vacation, because I've just overbooked myself and the internet is not that reliable. Ok I can't fully blame the internet connection.

But really, how can you teach effectively, use good technological scaffolding, when you're not eating breakfast, you're not taking time out for vacation, and when you're overloaded by criticism of teachers?

I teach in an environment that I find particularly challenging for implementing successful lessons, much less digitally rich ones, and I'm constantly reminding myself I'm doing my best and learning to be a better educator just as my students are learning grammar from me.

So taking a lesson in mai pen rai (Thai for nevermind, don't worry about it), and embracing chaos as taught in Buddhism, I'm reminding myself that it's a journey to take, not a destination reached at once.

We may not be as far along as students in the states, it may not even be advisable or appropriate to utilize the same instructional techniques, but we are on a path and moving forward.