It is Tuesday morning, June 6, 2011.  It is the beginning of the tech academy.  We have coffee and donuts from GADS and small talk and preparatory paper work

(Notsure about what might this be, Audrey, might be a good question to ask of other academy leaders. )

First, we want to hear some stories about technology. To do so we open with a writing invitation.  Perhaps we do so in an electronic way and not just on paper.  Perhaps we use a google form with the following question:  what encourages and discourages you about using technology in the classroom.  

 I am hearing both positive and negative, both how tech has enabled and discouraged learning.  I tell stories of my own of Blackboard horrors and time with students as tech support and of flying under the radar doing things I had to ask forgiveness for and not permission.  I am hearing stories about how teachers can't use the tools of digital natives--cellphones, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook.  I am hearing anecdotes about singular students and of powerful projects and of early adopters overcoming the resistance of parents and administrators and colleagues.  

Perhaps this can lead to a discussion of both personal and group purposes and perhaps a group as well as a personal project.  I want to tell them how PD follows very predictable paths in the mode of veni-vidi-vice. I came to the PD, I saw the PD, I conquered the PD (got my PD credit).  I tell them that in a collaborative world, the world we are sending our students toward, we must begin the task of helping learners to move beyond the lone ranger learning into the world of collaboration.

Audrey and I share some 

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