Do we need to keep photocopiers at school?

With the increased influence of PC's and ipads within schools - I ask the question: do we still need to use the humble photocopier anymore??

Trust and rapport.

I'm not a qualified teacher yet, this much is fact.  In my short experience with teaching teenagers however, the only time that I have ever had any form of teaching 'success' has come from classes or moments that stem from trust.  The student trusts me and what I am trying to do, and I trust them to be human with all that that involves.  Basic human rapport - right? 
 No trust
It's clips like this one that I found on You tube that makes me mad.  The principle in this clip is 'spying' on his students while they use their school issued lap top.  "It's to make sure that they are doing the work they are supposed to be doing!", then he starts "messing with them" by taking pictures of them from the computer photo booth application.  What a jerk!
All he's doing is widening the gap between students and teachers.  He is basically assuming guilt.  'You are a student and therefore can not be trusted to do the right thing'.  
I was reading the introduction to the Victorian Essential Learning Standard and in it, it states that the goals are intended to support students "to build a future based on sustainability, innovation and 
building strong communities." Strong communities should promote mutual responsibility and trust in a diverse socio-cultural community.  Where's the trust from Mr Peeping-tom Principle?


No matter what form ICT takes in the school that I end up at, I know that I need to keep up to date as much as possible.  I need to NOT get frustrated at the things that I can not change (including computer issues), do as much professional development as I can and trust the students to experiment, be human, probably push some boundaries, but allow a forum that gives them room to learn.  Isn't that why we have had Vygotsky and Piaget shoved at us from day one doing this course?  Engage them, build rapport and let them take their current knowledge to the next stage.  If taking their knowledge requires the assistance of ICT then its my job to make that happen.

Time Vortex!

Here is something that drives me nuts about computers - the amount of time that seems to get miraculously sucked up in them!  I am a big believer in computers, and the revolution of our generation that is "information technology", but the one thing that gives me pause, is the incredible amount of time that seems to simply vanish when sitting in front of a screen.  I had planned to spend an hour this afternoon looking at other students online presentations.  When I tried to log onto the LMS site, it was having issues due to the volume that it experiences this time of year.  I then decided to access students online presentations through the Blog sites that I am a member of - this worked for 2 of them, but the others weren't available on their blog but through the group Wiki (can't get to group Wiki as this can only be accessed through LMS).  I then re-tried accessing the LMS site.  It's still having issues.  I can now access the student portal, but not the link that takes me to the LMS.....aaargh!  I've now clocked up nearly 2.5 hours sitting in front of a computer and I have only managed to watch two 5 minute preso's.  I didn't want to totally waste the time I had committed to ICT, so I decided to post a few things on my blog instead.  I am the mother of 2 small children, with a job, a full time study load and an online business and my time is VERY carefully allocated.  It constantly amazes me how much time computers suck up precious time!

Just finished our Presentation

This is clip from the Series "Modern Families" that I think is very appropriate to what we have been looking at in our tutorials
Modern Families