Digital Coping Skills Continued

It is amazing how once you write about something, it pops up time and time again. It's like when you buy a new car and then all of a sudden you start seeing it everywhere.

I have seen so many examples of digital coping skills or lack thereof recently. One example that sticks out is the number of teachers who seem to believe that technology snafus only happen to them or that the snafus are their fault. I think this is a coping skill, recognizing that technology glitches are a part of using technology. This is much like accepting the glitches that come with other technologies. For example, if we run out of gas, we don't suddenly stop driving. If we cut ourselves with a knife in the kitchen, we don't stop cooking. If we get a bad grade on an assignment, we don't stop writing papers. So why do we let technology glitches become barriers to using technology?

Another example of digital coping skills occurred the other day when a group of teachers had difficulty logging into a web 2.0 tool. The chorus of "See? This is why we don't ..." was deafening. Really? Can I cite that old copy of Tuck Everlasting in my classroom library that has page 104 ripped out as a reason to stop teaching reading? Every year, in spring the glue sticks dry up. I guess the art projects will stop in March from now on.

Don't get me wrong. I understand the challenges that arise when using technology with students. I deal with them everyday. But we must begin coping with these issues as we do other issues in our classroom. While I am sensitive to the challenges of teachers, I am also sensitive to the needs of our students. They need us to develop these coping skills and accept the mess that teaching with technology creates. For all the mess, there is unbelievable opportunity!

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