Meg’s Weblog

I do not even know where to begin writing this, but here goes.  I commented on a link that Dean Shareski forewarded to me, that connected me to Will Richardsons blog. One of Will’s most resent comments features the use of paper in his life and more particularily in the classroom.  The way that his post and the comments that drizzled behind it were written felt a little pushy to me.  Now, it is true that the only reason that I have “copied and pasted” anything on the web, is because of Deans Education computers class and I am just beginning to learn about the posative things that technology can bring into our sudents lives, but I do not appreciate new ideas being pushed on me.  After I read Wills post I felt like I would be a bad teacher if I was to use too much paper in my first year as an educator.  I understand that is not what he was suggesting, I am only attempting to communicate the way that I feel.

  I am currently in my third year of five, in the arts education program at the University of Regina, and I have not yet even gone into a classroom to intern, so when I read Wills post I felt afraid, sad, and angry.  The sadness exploded from his comment concerning paperback novels and about how he is trying to cut back on them, as if anyone who STILL reads on paper is going straight to hell in a hand basket, and should serieously consider cutting back.. On account on how un-green it all is!!!  I would really love for someone to explain to me how to make art, or the roughdrafts that lead up to that masterpiece without the use of paper.  Don’t get me wrong, I understand that beautiful art can be captured in a photograph or created with the help of technology- but what about process??  What are we stripping away from students when we denigh them of the tool that they are the most comfortable using (and in some cases that tool will most definatley be technology). 

And that is it, that is the aspect of technology that I have always been suspicious of, it must be black or white.  I have yet to see the grey area that real people live in.  I will not have my future students turn into the latest pieces of technology, continually conforming to the newest, latest program out there.  What about having a choice, what about creating a balanced way of looking at technology without it needing to be the end to all paper.  It is all so extreme.   

For the record, this is by no means a personal attack on Will.  I am very lucky to have stumbled across his blog, because with frustration I can be motivated to learn more and to grow in ways that may have never occured without this insight.  I thank him very much and look foreward to reading more on his blog.