http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2006/02/07/host-your-own-or-hold-a-third-party-change-needed-as-per-usual/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:09:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2006/02/07/host-your-own-or-hold-a-third-party-change-needed-as-per-usual/#comment-345 Graham Wegner Tue, 07 Feb 2006 23:08:00 +0000 http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2006/02/07/host-your-own-or-hold-a-third-party-change-needed-as-per-usual/#comment-345 Sadly,I'm forced to agree with you Leigh about the huge task of changing the cultural mindset of teachers.Friends of mine nearly always make the observation that most teachers they know are conservative by nature (not necessarily by politics)and it is that conservatism that doesn't want to make waves with any sort of establishment and put their almost-too-secure jobs for life at risk. It is that aspect that scares a lot of teachers about the internet and new technologies - the transparency and openess is so alien to the closed door mentality of traditional teaching practices. New evolving curriculums don't seem to bring about the desired changes and when we have politicians who want to nip creativity in the bud and <a HREF="http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/01/21/junk-mail-can-be-dangerous/" rel="nofollow">turn back the clock </A>,it enhances the conservatism even more. Working with my staff has taught me that if I want them to embrace really great learning tools like blogs and wikis, I have to make things easy, easy, easy. I'd actually love your thoughts on that sometime as I try to map out a PD program that involves teachers becoming <a HREF="http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/02/04/is-it-possible-to-have-self-directed-pd/" rel="nofollow">self directed learners.</A> Sadly,I’m forced to agree with you Leigh about the huge task of changing the cultural mindset of teachers.Friends of mine nearly always make the observation that most teachers they know are conservative by nature (not necessarily by politics)and it is that conservatism that doesn’t want to make waves with any sort of establishment and put their almost-too-secure jobs for life at risk. It is that aspect that scares a lot of teachers about the internet and new technologies - the transparency and openess is so alien to the closed door mentality of traditional teaching practices. New evolving curriculums don’t seem to bring about the desired changes and when we have politicians who want to nip creativity in the bud and turn back the clock ,it enhances the conservatism even more. Working with my staff has taught me that if I want them to embrace really great learning tools like blogs and wikis, I have to make things easy, easy, easy. I’d actually love your thoughts on that sometime as I try to map out a PD program that involves teachers becoming self directed learners.

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