I have genuinely appreciated the opportunity to read everyone’s perspectives. As someone who has just recently joined the faculty here at PSU, I am heartened by the sense of care that I see reflected in the work shared during this module. While we may not all agree, everyone seems to have a deep, genuine concern for students and their personal and academic well being.

Probably obvious that I remain resistant to many so-called advancements in educational technologies. I must say, however, that the past two weeks have helped me to better understand that resistance as stemming from my skepticism of educational institutions, more so than any specific technology in-and-of-itself. In other words, it isn’t so much the technologies that I am resistant too, as much as I do not trust institutions of higher education, and the particular brand of education technocrats that seem to be running the show at many of the places I have been, to wield these technologies in ways that align with my own vision, goals, etc. for myself as a “teacher.”

Like many have said throughout the past two weeks (thank you Martha and Robin in particular), any technology must be understood through the lens of the cultural, social, institutional, and individual contexts within and through which it is developed…and, for me, at this moment in time, the institutional contexts within/through which these educational technologies are developed and implemented are dis-eased…but, then again…it is payday, so there’s that.

p.s. I promise that I am, in fact, quite a pleasant and chipper person IRL…but, then again, I am jewish…