The teachers that I am working with frequently email me. This, along with the fact that we are all Google Talk buddies and that they are on Facebook, tells me that they are comfortable using technology as a communication and networking tool. Therefore, I feel that I can eliminate issues with technological confidence and competence as possible reasons for their lack of collaboration.
The problem, as becomes clear in reading the following emails, is that their emails are all about 'crisis management'. They are using technology but not to collaborate professionally. This is supported by the findings of Suntisukwongchote (2006); teachers stated in interviews that they never used computers for collaboration and that they had never seen collaboration on the internet. The 'crisis management' nature of their emails also makes me reflect on whether I might be encouraging this simply by consistently responding to their immediate needs while only pressing for the bigger picture of collaboration once per week during common planning time.
Re: Writing Matters & student work
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Hello!Thank you so much Jen. We started the unit on Monday (we still don't have a projector). I love it! I am so excited about it. It is going over wonderfully with the honors class. 703 and 702 are coming along nicely as well. =)
Re: this week's 'stuff'
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Hi Jen,We used the animation for angle but were unable to link to anystories. XXXX spent lunch finding google bits to show parts ofstories, but even that worked intermittently so it was hard to keepstudents focused. tomorrow we're doing the Editor's Conferenceworksheet so I think Wed will be about introducing research. We havethe classes split. In my section, advanced would be DXXX, strugglingwould be DXXX, proficent (not on ELA exam last year but on articleso far) but needs encouragement would be TXXX.See you Wed.
Re: this week's 'stuff'
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Hi Jen!This week XXX and I have split our ELA classes. I am not sure which group you would like to work with. I have the computer and the data projector- XXX is not one hundred percent comfortable with using them. She is also less familiar with the unit. She read it over the vacation and seems to be caught up, but she missed the PD. I am trucking through with 702 and 703. Since we split, I decided to re-teach the last three lessons in a review session today. 703 made it through characteristics and choosing a topic and angle. 702 made it through characteristics and choosing a topic (although not all of them did). 701 has chosen their topics and angles. On Wednesday we should be on lesson 2.2.
Re: this week's 'stuff'
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
KXXXX BXXXwould love your help. He is a struggling writer, but a hard worker. He produces at least 5 drafts of every piece of writing.MXXy LXXXis a student that is not yet meeting standards. She doesn't completely understand the concept of an angle.RXXX VXXX is proficient and so is LXXX BXXX.
Re: this week's 'stuff'
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Hi Jennifer,This Wednesday they are having the Dominican Independence/Black History Monthcelebration. 1,2,3 periods will be 6th & 7th grade assembly andperiods 7,8 will be an assembly for 8th grade. Period 4 I will haveaccess to the computer lab. The students started to search theinternet today and I hope to teach 2.3 tomorrow.They have not started the actual writing yet.
Re: prep for Step 1 & Lesson 1.1
XXXXXX@yahoo.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Jennifer,
Hello!
I just wanted to let you know that on Thursday this week... it is a 1/2 day of school. I have a different class that period but you are still welcome to come as scheduled. This class however is a very LOW class. They have a hard time grasping many concepts and they talk a lot. BUT they have been exposed to writing matters projects before and have been well behaved for the last presenter. They are also a ridiculously SMALL class... (15 or less) I PROMISE to do all the management. I will even bribe them with a few things for you. I just thought you should know that because of the 1/2 day schedule, you won't be meeting the honor's class.
Let me know what you think.
RE: prep for Step 1 & Lesson 1.1
XXXXXX(32K162) [XXXXXX@schools.nyc.gov]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
One other thing, do I have to enroll the kids in the online classroom before you come... and if so... I totally forgot how.
Re: this week's 'stuff'
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Jennifer,
Sorry to be getting back to you so late. I do have a few students that I can have you work with in 804, but I would like to speak to you tomorrow during 1st period if that is at all possible. I have made the copies for this week and prepared the lessons, but I'm a little apprehensive about taking the students to the lab at this point. Many of them are already in many different places. Several of them are not yet finsihsed with handout 2.1 and a select few in each of my classes are still unsure of what to do for a topic. However, I am also hesitant to hold back anymore as I feel that reiterating the lsesons I have already taught would cause other problems. Let me know what you think.
writing matters classrooms
XXXXXX@hotmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Hey Jennifer,We're having some issues with the website, and were hoping you could answer some questions. So far, everyone has created an eZine for each of their classes, but how do we create the classroom? When we log in and search the classes all three of mine and only one of XXXshow up. XXXhas his students registered, and they can log into their eZine but we can't figure out how to create the classroom. Please e-mail us back, or call the school asap so we can figure this problem out. We're searched the website, and neither XXXor myself remember the process of how we did it. Thanks a lot! Talk to you soon!
help needed for teachers
XXXXXX(26Q216) [XXX@schools.nyc.gov]
You replied on 2/29/2008 1:53 PM.
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Ms. Whitney, I had a conversation with teachers. They are having a few technical problems. If you can please email or call them. Or if you can, they want to know if you can pass by here before Tuesday, so they can be better prepared.Thanks in advance
Re: ezines & online classrooms
XXXXXX@yahoo.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
hi Jen -
I truly appreciate your help with regard to this unit, but I have to be honest, I am extremely apprehensive regarding the technology aspect. At least I was finally able to figure out how to set up the ezines. Just out of curiousity, can the kids post their work from home just in case the technology in my room doesn't work?
The titles of the ezines are 806 and 807 --- and the subscription key is XXX806 and XXX807 ........ real original, right?!Thanks -
Re: ezines & online classrooms
XXXXXX@yahoo.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
hi again -
quick question - how do i setup my classroom? ms. sXXX at my school set up her classrooms but can't for the life of her remember how she did it!
thanks -
Re: ezine & modifications
XXXXXX@gmail.com]
To: Jennifer Whitney
Cc:
Thanks Jen. And no, I have not set up an ezine yet. So if you wantsend some directions, I would appreciate.Enjoy the last bit of the weekend.
What does all this tell me? The teachers I'm working with are mostly young; they are adept with technology in general. They use email, chat and social networking sites for dealing with life and relationships outside of school. The teachers in Suntisukwongchote's (2006) study also acknowledged that they all had email addresses and most used computers on a daily basis and regarded themselves as comfortable with technology. Therefore, I feel reasonably confident that it's not inexperience with or fear of technology that is holding us back. So if it's not the technology, perhaps it's the theory that's lacking. I can hypothesize that it may be a lack of understanding of the potential benefits of collaboration, and in particular, collaboration that focuses on analyzing the quality and context of student work. Again, this is supported by Suntisukwongchote (2006), as observed in the following teacher interview quote in which the researcher finds that most teachers were not confident in the benefits of using technology to collaborate: "Teachers do not know the pros and cons of having an e-mail and collaboration through the network and so on" (p. 31).
