What's It Like Where You Live?

I really enjoyed Bob Coulter's article, "What's It Like Where You Live?" So much so, in fact, that by the end of the first page a pang of apprehension developed as I worried that his fantastic unit on neighborhoods would be ruined by an arbitrary use of technology. Luckily it wasn't until the third page that he mentioned technology, and when he did, he was careful to note that because the kids had a solid understanding and exposure to the world outdoors, they were ready to transition to using technology to augment, rather than take the place of, their lessons:

"Having built a solid understanding of biomes and how biotic and abiotic features of a community work together to define an ecological region, students were ready to extend their understanding through the use of technology resources." (p. 49)

I consider myself relatively tech savvy, but also very tech wary. I think too often people who know little about tech try to force it into curriculum because they are concerned about seeming disconnected from the tech world. On the other hand, I also think some people use technology to supplement their lessons when real world, outdoor experiences might be better for the kids, but also, messier and more work.

So, I really loved how Coulter showed how a teacher can create a wonderful lesson plan that on its own would be fantastic, but also how it can be enriched by using technological tools. Tools that in this case especially, that students will be able to use beyond this lesson.