So, it's my first blog.  Ever.  it's amazing because for a long time, my girlfriend actually supported herself partially with blogs about travel and living in Costa Rica, yet I never thought to write one, but here we go. . .

The first thing I would like to talk about is my situation with technology and mobile devices.  I am, I suppose, something of a technophobe, a luddite who threw the one cell phone he ever owned into the Sea of Japan because he was tired of being contacted.  I often will not even answer my house phone unless I am making plans or trying to get something done.  I have always said that I wouldn't get up and run to my hammer if it started to ring, why should I do that with any other tool.

I imagine that provides some insight into how i view mobile technology, a tool that should be there when needed, but I have yet to take the step into having it be ubiquitious in my life.  My students, however, have, and that means that, in order to reach them and prepare them for success outside of high school, it's time to make a few changes.  But first. . .

Inventory:

Smart phones: zero.

Cell phones: zero.

Laptops: two.

I-pads, pods, phones, anything "I-": zero.

Pictures on Facebook wall: zero.  Why, you ask.  Read on.

Facebook accounts: zero.

Number of tweets: zero.

Twitter accounts: zero.

It's obvious we are dealing with a relatively blank slate at this point, so let's set some goals.  As discussed in the article "Are We Wired for Mobile Learning", "Digital Natives" struggle with the traditional education system, with "chalk and talk".   My school is well aware of this, and has responded with a Multiple-Intelligences approach to teaching and learning.  But we need to look at the use of digital technology, not as simply a fancy way to deliver the same content, but as a totally new way of learning, where nobody is "master" of information because everyone can access the facts with the touch of a button (or a screen.)  I will talk about how this is changing education in later blogs, and in my next post, will discuss my goals for myself, our school, our students, and what is motivating these changes.