1. What If...

2. Smoke signals are the only way to communicate.

3. “ T his invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory. Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them....

4. You offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom, for they will read many things without instruction and will therefore seem to know many things, when they are for the most part ignorant and hard to get along with, since they are not wise, but only appear wise.” Egyptian Myth of Theuth and Thamus, Recounted by Socrates to Phaedrus in Phaedrus, or the Ethical or Beautiful by Plato You offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom, for they will read many things without instruction and will therefore seem to know many things, when they are for the most part ignorant and hard to get along with, since they are not wise, but only appear wise.” Egyptian Myth of Theuth and Thamus, Recounted by Socrates to Phaedrus in Phaedrus, or the Ethical or Beautiful by Plato

5. “Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!” Teachers’ Conference, 1703 “Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!” Teachers’ Conference, 1703

6. “Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?” Principals’ Association, 1815 “Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?” Principals’ Association, 1815

7. “Students today depend too much upon ink. They don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.” National Association of Teachers, 1907 “Students today depend too much upon ink. They don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.” National Association of Teachers, 1907

8. “Students today depend upon store bought ink. They don’t know how to make their own. When they run out of ink they will be unable to write words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a sad commentary on modern education.” The Rural American Teacher, 1928 “Students today depend upon store bought ink. They don’t know how to make their own. When they run out of ink they will be unable to write words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a sad commentary on modern education.” The Rural American Teacher, 1928

9. “Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world which is not so extravagant.” PTA Gazette, 1941 “Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world which is not so extravagant.” PTA Gazette, 1941

10. “Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students use these devices and then throw them away. The American values of thrift and frugality are being discarded. Business and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.” Federal Teachers, 1950 “Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students use these devices and then throw them away. The American values of thrift and frugality are being discarded. Business and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.” Federal Teachers, 1950

11. Have you also heard...

12. I don’t think we’ll have a wireless network at KSB anytime soon....

13. “We can’t let them use calculators in middle school. If we do, they’ll forget how to do long division or how to multiply three digit numbers by three digit numbers. What will they do when they don’t have access to a calculator?”

14. “You can’t use those calculators on the test.”

15. “Why are you writing a grant for a classroom set of graphing calculators? We’ll never be allowed to use them and – even if we can – that’s only one class, and parents in other classes will never buy them for their students.”

16. “Why would you ever want the Internet for student use? It’s just the latest fad – they need to use the library.”

17. “We don’t need a web page for [KSB/KIRC]. Who’s ever going to look at it?”

18. You can’t train teachers online....

19. “Teachers will never use email.”

20. “Why do you want network drops at every teacher’s desk? You’re not thinking of getting a computer for all of them are you?”

21. “What can you do with an LCD Projector that you can’t do with an overhead projector?”

22. “Why are we talking about students having laptops? I don’t think most parents will even give their kids their old computer, much less buy them a new one.”

23. “Why would I want to put my grades on the web? Who’s going to look at them?”

24. “Why would I teach keyboarding? I don’t teach touch-typing until Grade Two.”

25. “Introduce contractions as they naturally occur in the reading curriculum.”

26. “Start with Grade One braille, then teach Grade Two.”

27. “Kids need to master braille before they can have a braille notetaker.”

28. Turn off and put away all Cell Phones, iPods, and Electronic Devices during class!

29. “Has Kay Ferrell gone loony?” Colleague, in response to A Call To End Vision Stimulation “Has Kay Ferrell gone loony?” Colleague, in response to A Call To End Vision Stimulation

30. What If... We had listened?

31. Teachers are stuck in the 20 th century. Students have rushed into the 21 st. How can schools catch up and provide students with a relevant education? Marc Prensky Teachers are stuck in the 20 th century. Students have rushed into the 21 st. How can schools catch up and provide students with a relevant education? Marc Prensky

32. Digital-age Literacy Inventive Thinking Effective Communication High Productivity Digital-age Literacy Inventive Thinking Effective Communication High Productivity 21 st Century Learning Skills

33. How Do We Get There? Copyright © 2004, Learning Point Associates Stay focused. Take on something doable. Build bridges. Honor and extend existing work. Make decisions at the system level. Stay focused. Take on something doable. Build bridges. Honor and extend existing work. Make decisions at the system level.

34. Do You Use These with Your Students? Copyright © 2004, Learning Point Associates Pod casts BlogsWikiswww.UnitedStreaming.comwww.TeachersDomain.org Digital Storytelling Pod casts BlogsWikiswww.UnitedStreaming.comwww.TeachersDomain.org Digital Storytelling

35. Digital Immigrants “Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are Digital Immigrants.” (Marc Prensky) “Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are Digital Immigrants.” (Marc Prensky)

36. Digital Natives Our students are all Digital Natives, native speakers of the digital language of computers, video games, and the Internet.

37. We don’t speak the same language...

38. As Digital Immigrants learn to adapt to their environment, they always retain, to some degree, their "accent," that is, their foot in the past. The "digital immigrant accent" can be seen in such things as turning to the Internet for information second rather than first.... or in reading the manual for a program rather than assuming that the program itself will teach us to use it. As Digital Immigrants learn to adapt to their environment, they always retain, to some degree, their "accent," that is, their foot in the past. The "digital immigrant accent" can be seen in such things as turning to the Internet for information second rather than first.... or in reading the manual for a program rather than assuming that the program itself will teach us to use it.

39. Today's older folk were "socialized" differently from their kids, and are now in the process of learning a new language. And a language learned later in life, scientists tell us, goes into a different part of the brain. Today's older folk were "socialized" differently from their kids, and are now in the process of learning a new language. And a language learned later in life, scientists tell us, goes into a different part of the brain.

40. Is it focused on student learning? Are there observable results? Does it meet the standards? Can it show results? Does it increase research skills? Does it improve communication skills? Is it focused on student learning? Are there observable results? Does it meet the standards? Can it show results? Does it increase research skills? Does it improve communication skills? Questions To Ask Yourself on New Technologies

41. What about accountability? Does it improve student collaboration Does it help students communicate globally? Does it help students deal with massive amounts of information? Does it teach our students to be self- directed and understand how to organize more of their own learning? What about accountability? Does it improve student collaboration Does it help students communicate globally? Does it help students deal with massive amounts of information? Does it teach our students to be self- directed and understand how to organize more of their own learning?

42. So...

43. Has your teaching changed? Do you still use hard copy braille? Do you still use Perkins braillewriters? Has your teaching changed? Do you still use hard copy braille? Do you still use Perkins braillewriters?

44. Are libraries obsolete? Will paper libraries exist in 2020?

45. Why lament the teacher shortage, when we can use technology to solve it?

46. Are there ways we can use technology to train teachers across the United States? Can universities share programs/courses/students and overcome the FTE quicksand?

47. Can a blind student at KSB or in Wichita enroll in an online biology course that originates in Washington?

48. Why can’t we deliver services to students in public schools by using technology and expertise based at specialized schools – and eliminate the windshield time?

49. Can we use cell phones to provide in-time explanations of complex or unfamiliar material to a blind student located in a different state?

50. “Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.” Robert F. Kennedy “Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.” Robert F. Kennedy

51. Why Not?

52. Together we can do more Together we can do more