On brilliant and stupid applications of technology

While the Roman arch is, indeed, a brilliant idea, I don't think this is what the list is getting at.

Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Do With Technology, courtesy Doug Johnson's Tech Proof (an Education World blog)

Many good things here, but juxtapose these rules: empower kids with technology, and accept the role of co-leaner. Technological fluency is like linguistic fluency -- if you're raised with the exciting and new, you encounter new challenges more competently and confidently (in the case of language, Real Science has demonstrated in Actual Laboratory Tests that teaching students an additional language when they're young makes their brains double in size.*) For those teachers who are only now becoming technologically adept, such "native speakers" are an invaluable resource. See, that's the "co-learner" bit. (I'd include another of the listed ideas -- to creatively find and develop resources -- under the umbrella of co-learning.)

* - This is probably not a fact.

Seven Stupid Mistakes Teachers Make With Technology (also from Tech Proof)

Right out of the gate: any adult who has ever touched a computer should already understand that Loki, the trickster god, will eventually convince your computer (or PDA, or helper robot, or whatever) to eat your data. I like the quote regarding recidivist data-forfeiters: "stupidity ought to cause some suffering." Ah, in a perfect world.

Equally important: what happens online stays online. We talk a lot about the unforeseeable horizons of evolved learning, but to get down to brass tacks for a second, HEY TEACHERS, YOU CAN GET FIRED BECAUSE OF YOUR SCANDALOUS FACEBOOK PHOTOS. (And if you aren't fired, you'll certainly struggle to earn the respect you hopefully deserve, despite what was going on in photo #13. Seriously, a donkey?)

The New Clasroom Rules, courtesy Education Innovation

3. Leave your seat only when necessary, which should be often to go collaborate with others or demonstrate something to the class.

15. Know what you are supposed to be learning, why, and what you will do with the knowledge.

Not much to add here -- learning is dynamic, not static, and rote practice strangles dynamism. #15, you're a rule after my own heart.