Reflections on the Journey

I continue to think about the success of this class. What factors have combined to create such a meaningful experience? For me, the climate of the class has played the biggest part in its success. The content, a growing and responsive curriculum, is another powerful ingredient.

Paulo Freire writes about education in which the teacher becomes "a student among students." I feel that we are enjoying this situation in our Lit/Tech class. Dave set the initial tone of the class by happily disclosing that he is learning with us. He admits to new experiences, he asks for help and advice when a student has had more success with a certain process, and he shares the frustrations he has endured in learning and using new technology. This stance was essential in establishing the climate of our class and in allowing all the class members to learn freely through successes and blunders, both of which, I believe, are necessary for authentic learning to occur.

The students nourish this supportive climate by adding their voices and understandings to the class. Multiple perspectives (and the willingness to share them) provide many avenues for learning.

For instance, Amy mentioned last night that part of her growth has been to recognize, adapt, and move beyond the limitations inherent in the melding of education and technology. This is an important part of our learning.

Important too, is the realization that some of the limitations may lie within us. Tracy explained that part of her reluctance to integrate a new technology rested in her uncertainty regarding her skills. This sentiment is certainly one to which we can all relate, and the shared understanding furthers our progress. (If Tracy, who I consider to be quite tech-savvy, sometimes feels like this, it's okay if I have those doubts too.)

The curriculum, a growing collection of tools and processes, encourages a free exploration of what works and what is less helpful. Because we represent different educational viewpoints and contexts, certain technologies will be more useful to individual members than others. Certain processes resonate more strongly with some people. The exposure to different technologies ensures that everyone will find some new gadget to stick in their toolbelts.

For me, this class has provided, through its climate and curriculum, the freedom to explore, but also the freedom to make mistakes, to discover and remedy those glitches that dot our paths.