Dr. Tyson’s keynote address was so inspiring. I will admit that I have had my doubts about the effectiveness of using some of this technology in the classroom, but he definitely motivated me to understand and explore the possibilities. I was really touched by the student’s testimonies. To hear a principal talking about “school 2.0″ is one thing, but to hear the students tell how much it impacted them really opened my eyes. I was amazed by their enthusiasm in dealing with universal “grown up” problems and making a contribution to the world. Many adults would never take a 12 year old seriously and the majority of 12 year olds would not be serious about matters beyond their own life. Dr. Tyson’s students are going above and redefining one’s expectations of a “normal” adolescent and literally showing the world that they are worthy and capable. Dr. Tyson stressed the idea of meaningfulness in learning. Not only are his student’s creating meaningful projects for the world, but also meaningful projects for themselves that they will carry with them forever. Using technology with such a purpose creates a learning experience that is unfortunately beyond anything many students will experience unless they are guided by educators. There is no doubt students yearn for such an opportunity, but they are limited by the restrictions and awareness of their schools. When I become a teacher I will do everything in my power to implement such projects, but I feel that I will only be able go so far without the support of the school system and administrators. Mabry Middle School was fortunate to have Dr. Tyson as a principal, but not all principals have the same ideology. I think that every administrator should watch Dr. Tyson’s address because there is no way they can disagree with “school 2.0″ after watching it!
