I can see what Douglas Adams means, except in this case it’s more like: teaching new technology to others when you’ve only just got a handle on it, is like throwing yourself out of a plane and hoping you’ll fly.
The first WordPress sessions felt rather like jumping from said plane and not being entirely sure whether or not I would plummet to the ground. Although I wasn’t on my own and was co-facilitating with someone with significant experience using the platform, in both the Tour and the Studio, I was very conscious of being both ‘teacher’ and ‘student’ literally and in the same moment. There was a duality that I’ve experienced before, but not for a long time; and it was inspiring. Learning the new tools, pushing against the boundaries of my knowledge, little by little expanding what I know, is exhilarating. By the time I’d done the second Studio, I already felt myself much more confident.
This week I also enjoyed attending other Studio sessions in a student / supporting role. Even when covering aspects of Blackboard Learn I was familiar with, the refresher was useful and there’s always something new to learn. In the past I’ve enjoyed team teaching and lamented the fact that most of the time, as educators we ‘fly solo.’ If there has been one gift (and there are more) of the ‘new normal,’ I would include the opportunity to work more closely with colleagues, learn directly from their practice, rather than only exchanging ideas over coffee. These experiences are priceless.
I’ve always felt that for me to be a good teacher, I need also to be a constant student. Never has that proven to be as true as it is at the moment; and not only for me. The engagement and learning that has taken place this past week is so much more evident as people are able to engage ‘hands on’ with the platforms they are seeking to learn. Benjamin Franklin was right:
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
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