April 19, 2024

I completed my final commitment to the Digital Lead Learner program today. All I had to do was stand at a booth for about an hour and talk about Minecraft. It took some doing to get there but it’s done now.

The program was supposed to run for three years. It ended up taking five. I think. Covid put a pause on things. It might have been four years.

I remember walking into that high school auditorium for the orientation. We were given a Chromebook, which I was quite excited to receive, and then attended a session. I have no idea what it was about, but it was in one of the classrooms at the school. I’m sure there are notes somewhere. We were also assigned a mentor who I never spoke with again.

My thoughts around technology in education have changed. I’m less convinced of its value now. Rather, I was naïve about the effective integration of technology in classrooms. There is a cost associated with any change, and more traditional ideals about good pedagogy still retain value. What analogue skills are we willing to exchange for high levels of digital fluency? Are we able to teach the skills we have learned from past experience are necessary with new technologies that are creating our future?

I couldn’t wait to leave. I stayed for the final keynote and left as the speaker was walking off the stage. I was in such a hurry to go that I left my jacket behind. I really like that jacket. It made me feel cool when I wore it, but perhaps it’s a sign that this is a time for change. There’s a jacket in the closet with the tags still on it that I haven’t worn in over a year. I don’t think it’ll be as warm.

Originally published at https://www.bernardwalter.com on April 19, 2024.