So much to blog about. This one may resemble a rant though. First of all, I am kind of getting fed up with all of the cute terminology. I understand that every profession has its own standard vocabulary but when you add the technology component those terms go up exponentially (it seems). After dealing with taxonomies, cognition, substantial conversations, HOT and LOT, etc., now we have cloud computing, personal learning networks, authentic assessment, sage on the stage, guide on the side and so forth. In a few months I will probably using these and myriad other terms with ease. For the moment things seem a bit forced.

That being said, I loved the cheating comments and the thoughts of authentic assessment (even though I only know what that means in the crudest sense). It is a reminder to me (again) not to coast as a teacher but to keep striving for the highest practice.

I am still not sure about the Twitter thing. I think I refuse to be called a twit or to use that term in any way that is not insulting. I will never say never of course but one must draw a line somewhere and tweeting, twittering, or the Stephen Colbert term (twat) -yes he said that- is likely on the other side of my line. Blessings to those who tweet. I don't think it entirely useless and I imagine it can be useful but I just can't see it just yet.

I also see another danger point in our profession born of our zeal. Although I am almost certainly projecting here -- I think there was a hint of a judgmental attitude toward those who choose to learn in the 'wrong ways'. Some have the nerve to prefer the 'sage on the stage' to the 'guide on the side'. What's wrong with them? How dare they learn something that was merely told them? Don't they know you can't learn that way!!! I do not really have a problem with the deepening understanding of cognition that indicates we learn best when we are engaged in the process and 'construct our meaning'. But we have to reconcile that with honoring the learning strategies of individuals. Perhaps they are fooling themselves to think they are actually learning by being told and are secretly constructing meaning but are not yet aware. But let them live and learn in their ignorance -- so long as they learn.