With "backchannel" I'm referring to the tweeting and facebooking we're doing during sessions. This is one thing I love about social networking. In the past, a silent audience was a bunch of people thinking thoughts in their heads about whatever the speaker is saying, holding their thoughts until the talk is over.
But now we can chatter amongst ourselves in the middle of the talk. I love this. And don't you dare say that this backchannel is distracting. I find it engages me more. It captures thoughts to come back to later. It connects people when they see what others are thinking.
So chat away in the backchannel friends, chat away.
(and thank you, Elaine, for starting the fantastic conversation I posted below. It was so extensive that I was unable to capture it all in one screen shot!)
Fairview High School
Boulder, Colo.
So true, Sarah. I was so much more engaged. Frankly, this is so much better than what I see teachers usually doing. Our faculty meetings are awful with everybody "talking to their neighbor" and the principals trying to calm us down. We're not just visiting...we're usually just discussing the topic...but it appears rather rude. This is great.
ReplyDeleteI have to give you that cautionary warning though... While in this environment we are allowed to have these backchannel conversations it may not translate well to teacher meetings.
ReplyDeleteIn our school, any teacher checking email or doing anything on their computers other than taking notes are not exhibiting a "professional" attitude. We had several teachers get in trouble this past year checking email, twittering or doing something on their iPhones during teacher meetings. No one ever asked what they were doing on their iPhones, they just automatically received a slap on the wrist or a write-up.
I wish this weren't the case though. I think these conversations can be valuable - for example, we have a better idea of some of the quotes from this morning's session and that certainly is valuable.
Sarah Noah
Goshen High School
Goshen, Indiana
I think it's cool that you're able to do this. It seems like a lot of fun, especially with the LeMonteisms. Personally though, I doubt that I can get my Facebook app working well enough on my phone to participate. I tried really hard to learn to text like my kids do with the phones under the table and, with the best of them, in their pockets. Can any of you? Unfortunately though, I'm too old and square to pull it off.
ReplyDeleteAnd since it would probably be a bit too conspicuous tapping away on my phone unless I sit behind the pole in the back, I'm not sure it's safe to try. I'd end up like the poor kid who always seems to get caught even though everyone else has done it first. Steve would take me aside and tell me it was rude to be texting when someone was speaking, especially since all my fellow teachers with computers were working so hard to take notes ... and on that note, exeunt, stage left.
I'm of 2 minds on this one. Bridget loved it and agrees with all of your points. Mrs. Parker fears and loathes it. Children tweeting each other as eyewitnesses to every pithy witticism? I'm no LeMonte, but I know I've occasionally raised a stir.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of this year, everyone's favorite Mrs. Parker(ism) was "Ask yourself, 'Self, why am I hanging out of the window?'" Whatever you now imagine probably wasn;t exactly what was happening, but the possibilities for trouble are astounding.
BTW This year's Mrs. Parker quotable had nothing on the accidental double entendres."That's what she said."
Loved your post - just thought I'd 2 cents it. :)
You're welcome, Sarah! I really enjoyed this, but I agree with others in this thread that something like this might not be applicable to the classroom... yet. I think it will be eventually once the taboo of social networking at school wears off. How is this much different from Think, Pair, Share, except you're sharing with many instead of one?
ReplyDeleteI think back to Ken Paulson's presentation last Monday. I came with my notebook,thinking like a traditional student: take notes and respond later. Then I saw Anita tweeting, Marlo tweeting, and Steve tweeting. I went back for my computer at lunch. At first, it was awkward. I felt like I was being rude.I had to learn to have one ear attuned to the speaker and one eye on the laptop screen. I told my boyfriend back home how we are allowed, in fact, encouraged to do this. And then I thought how today's youth are multitaskers by nature: writing a story while chatting on facebook and watching Jersey Shore. I have learned how to multitask better and I feel this backstory has helped me process what was presented even better than if I just sat and took notes.
ReplyDeleteJackie Ludka
Pleasant Valley H.S
Brodheadsville, Pa
I have mixed feelings about Twitter. I agree with Sarah that I love this ability to have a sort of meta-dialogue that can be spread around the world in real time. On the other hand, people need to be sure not to make the mistake that my kids often make in assuming that the person being tweeted about is oblivious to it. Just like journalists shouldn't do anything in private that they wouldn't run on the front page, I would never say anything on Twitter that I wouldn't say out loud.
ReplyDelete