Comments on: NECC, Hats, and Invisibility Cloaks http://blog.teachersfirst.com/thinkteach/2008/07/05/necc-hats-and-invisibility-cloaks/ A "teacher to go" blogs about teaching, technology, and education in general Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:26:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Candace Hackett Shively http://blog.teachersfirst.com/thinkteach/2008/07/05/necc-hats-and-invisibility-cloaks/#comment-265 Candace Hackett Shively Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:30:44 +0000 http://blog.teachersfirst.com/thinkteach/2008/07/05/necc-hats-and-invisibility-cloaks/#comment-265 I agree that many of us wear many hats, including many, many teachers who moonlight doing education-related work. Even terminology carries a lot of baggage. Is there a difference between "vendors" who have something to sell and "educational non-profits" who do NOT sell or advertise anything but need traffic to support their services (for grants, etc)? Is the bottom line the separator between "OK" and "suspect"? Or is it the person himself/herself? What about "consultants" who have a wide audience and have not been in the classroom for years (or ever)? Are they "Suspect," "OK," or "featured speakers"? The lines are SOO fuzzy. Teachers are generally suspicious of the commercial education industry -- and for some good reasons. Evaluating the motivations and genuineness of a multiple-hat-wearer is as challenging as evaluating web sites -- and probably just as important. I believe we must use the same critical eye and then trust what we judge as good. I agree that many of us wear many hats, including many, many teachers who moonlight doing education-related work. Even terminology carries a lot of baggage. Is there a difference between “vendors” who have something to sell and “educational non-profits” who do NOT sell or advertise anything but need traffic to support their services (for grants, etc)? Is the bottom line the separator between “OK” and “suspect”? Or is it the person himself/herself? What about “consultants” who have a wide audience and have not been in the classroom for years (or ever)? Are they “Suspect,” “OK,” or “featured speakers”? The lines are SOO fuzzy.

Teachers are generally suspicious of the commercial education industry — and for some good reasons. Evaluating the motivations and genuineness of a multiple-hat-wearer is as challenging as evaluating web sites — and probably just as important. I believe we must use the same critical eye and then trust what we judge as good.

]]> By: Louise Maine http://blog.teachersfirst.com/thinkteach/2008/07/05/necc-hats-and-invisibility-cloaks/#comment-263 Louise Maine Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:48:53 +0000 http://blog.teachersfirst.com/thinkteach/2008/07/05/necc-hats-and-invisibility-cloaks/#comment-263 Great questions. As one of your reviewers, people here at school (who used to hear me preach regularly) do not have much to say about my being a reviewer. I think it is nothing. Is it because they think that I should be telling them about all the cool things only? or that I think I have too much free time? I think we all wear more than one hat. Why do we need to hide it? Vendors at conventions are needed. There is a lot of overhead. Also, there are a lot of people at different levels. Each company is unique in what and for who they offer. We are not that homogeneous. What if another company were to have taped EBC? I do suspect Pearson. After all, these are the teachers (were there teachers there?) who have shunned traditional learning, don't use books, etc. (I being one of them). I would suggest their motive is about cornering markets but I don't know that and really should not speculate. Instead: ask and converse. There has been some disconnect lately which is actually off topic, but has probably not helped the situation. I am confused about what is really going on here. Great questions. As one of your reviewers, people here at school (who used to hear me preach regularly) do not have much to say about my being a reviewer. I think it is nothing. Is it because they think that I should be telling them about all the cool things only? or that I think I have too much free time? I think we all wear more than one hat. Why do we need to hide it? Vendors at conventions are needed. There is a lot of overhead. Also, there are a lot of people at different levels. Each company is unique in what and for who they offer. We are not that homogeneous.

What if another company were to have taped EBC? I do suspect Pearson. After all, these are the teachers (were there teachers there?) who have shunned traditional learning, don’t use books, etc. (I being one of them). I would suggest their motive is about cornering markets but I don’t know that and really should not speculate. Instead: ask and converse.

There has been some disconnect lately which is actually off topic, but has probably not helped the situation. I am confused about what is really going on here.

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