Jeff Utecht is positive and enthusiastic about technology and what it can do in a high school setting. I really enjoyed listening to him speak and having the conversation with him about the use of technology in schools. I also read his article on blogs as web-based portfolios and I watched this digital story work, Romeo and Juliet Heaven Scene, from one of his students at ISB.
I wish I were him sometimes. I raised a jealous eyebrow when I reviewed his work and listened to him speak. I know what resources there are out there and I know that if I tried hard enough, I could probably make my way into a job like his, where there is a lot of money and support for programs in art, language, cutting edge educational practice and an educated public running the school that allows room to move in terms of technology and taking chances with it.
But I am where I am because I choose to be... it is where I set out to be when I decided to be a teacher. I won't say that I am not as fortunate as he is. I am. I make my choice to be where I am and it is not by default. However, where I am represents the majority of education whereas where he is represents a very small minority. Now, I am not a negative person but I do have to deal with the stack of cards I have and I have to figure out what I can do with my resources and my kid-pool and my laws and controls. That isn't to say these things can't be changed but, if I want them to change, I have to change them from within and that will take time... I am working toward this but I have 75 students NOW. I have to do for them now... so, my biggest question I wound up with after the call, once I put my ego aside (no, your point in teaching is not to be a super hero movie star teacher that doesn't have a real life outside of the classroom) was this: What can I do?
I am now able to view his work as something that can be modified rather than something to envy. And once I did that, I realized that the free tools online are certainly enough to start from. I think googledocs is a great place to start. I know that, if I can find a way (and I will) to acquire cameras, we will be able to do digital story telling. And I am looking into a grant to get a bank of laptops for my creative writing class so I don't have to fight so hard over the lab at school. There are ways.
In any case, I have continued to peruse his blog and will continue so that I can steal all the ideas I can find. I will think of myself as Robin Hood of Technology... :)
Great idea on the bank of laptops for your classroom. The flip video cameras are stopping production, so you might be able to get them cheaper for your room and they plug right into the computer. They download as a .mov file and can be dragged into iMovie. Jeff is great and has come a long way. He is not afraid to try new things and talk about them with others. He is a great resource and don't be afraid to connect with him to ask for help or questions. He is very willing to help anyone!
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