Challenge of Mindsets

I agree with the authors that we don't know how to deal with "new literacies educationally." The teachers at our school have been offered a moodle workshop and only a handful of teachers are willing to become moodlers. I was so excited about the prospect of having a laptop and a laptop program in my classroom that I jumped at the chance. I found that so many teacher are afraid of technology and don't feel up to the challenge of learning something new. Even though I am welcome to the idea I still feel like I will need further training in order to use the technology to its fullest.
There is a large gap between how we use technology in school and how we use it at home. My son does most of his communication online or through text messaging. He rarely uses our home telephone. He's also busy gaming online with his friends. They hardly get together physically but they are in tune with each other electronically.
In response to the reflection question in chapter 2: To what extent do you see yourself as a newcomer or an insider with respect to Barlow's classificationand to new technology practices?
I see myself as a newcomer and not just because of my over 35 classification. I see myself as a newcomer because I do not fully utilize all of technology and feel completely confident teaching with the new technology. Luckily, I am able to collaborate with out technology coordinator and I am willing to learn as I go along. I am not sure that I will ever feel like an insider the way I view my son, but I am at least giving it a try. Compared to other people in my school, I am viewed as proficient in using technology, but I feel like I am just touching the surface of this enormous iceberg. I hope that this course will enable me to approach the insider status.