Meeting Covered in Flurries, YakPak Service Interrupted

Last night was our scheduled meeting. YakPak on PBWiki was down, so we had to fall back to the chat room in WebCT. Two other group members and myself also went on conference call. After 30 minutes of nothing being accomplished, I just said I had to go. Looks like another meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, which I won't be able to attend because I have finals in another class. I know I don't do well with working with others, but this has to be the most exasperating process that I have even been through. A friend suggested that I should just sit back and enjoy the ride, but that's not my style. This is a rare opportunity to learn something and produce a result that can be beneficial to so many teachers. Should I just relax and let the product happen as it may or should I try to take another route? I emailed Dr. A today, flushing out other possibilities. Here is the email:

Dr. A--

"You know that I have been frustrated in my group, but currently, I have settled into the "ethos" of the group and have climbed in the box with them. I think what they are doing is thinking out of their boxes, for most of them. Integrating "virtual labs," which I think we have termed computer driven interactive media, into their curriculum is something novel and interesting for them.However, Pink suggest in his book that flipping an idea can give new, original perspective: so, I took our proposition, "Using virtual labs as a way to reach right-brained learners" and flipped it. I started to see that maybe we should be asking "How can knowledge about the whole-brain learner and 21st century learning skills be made part of technology

My specific focus on technology would be would be what I call "The Paperless Classroom." It will address issues of not using textbooks, project-based learning, student driven curriculum design, and technology proliferation (I don't use integration in this context because it applies a force from without. Proliferation suggests a dissemination from within). I would like to look at the Alabama COS and present an Internet based alternative to the common Language Arts Classroom. Ultimately, I would like to combine the objectives of the Technology COS, the Language Arts COS, the Mass Media/Communication COS, and the History COS to create a year long integrated curriculum, but for the time that I have left, I don't think that is possible, so I will focus on Language Arts.

I have been studying a lot about constructivist principles and want to propose that these changes in the way we educate along with immersion in technology is a very innovative way to teach and to improve education for students of all ages. What do you think? Do I have enough time left? Will I be penalized for leaving the group? Your advice is appreciated."

I am awaiting a response. Oh yeah, I reserved my URL for my on-line student literary magazine today. "Meta-Poiesis" will be a something one day...take a look at the place holder www.meta-poiesis.com

Until then...