Thing 1

I've watched the "Pay Attention" video multiple times and it still fascinates me. It has that "wow" factor, the same factor that learning should have for our students. I've shared the video with colleagues and my middle school principal. It has receive mixed reaction.
We should be using the technology that students use daily and - effortlessly. This was reinforced for me just last week. A student I was testing received a text message. She looked at her phone and then returned it to her pocket. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop and ask, "Did you get a text message?" The student said, "Yeah. From my friend. She wants to know what I'm doing?" I told her to text the friend and tell her what she was doing (taking a test). I didn't want my student preoccupied with getting back to her friend at the risk of not focusing on the task at hand and doing her best. More examples: I was with my 15 year old cousin who asked to "hang out" with me. While he wasn't very talkative with me, he was fiercely texting friends! Another cousin, closer to my age, phoned me to ask why I hadn't responded to his text messages. I told him "I don't text." When I checked my phone I had 43 text messages!
I'm participating in 23 Things because I want to learn about Web 2.o and the ways I can use it in my speech/language program and the communication courses I teach. I really want (and need) to engage my students, enhance their thinking and learning, and make education relevant, exciting, and interactive for them.
On the other hand, I fear that texting (and e-mail) can become too impersonal when used as the primary way one communicates. I prefer to hear your voice rather than use texting as a primary mode of communicating. Okay. Okay. I'm trying to bring my attitude and behavior into the 21st century without discarding my 20th century foundation.