I just re-read my three-year old Statement of Teaching Philosophy (see the Teaching Philosophy link on my page). Although I wrote it without much thought to technology or teaching students 21st century skills, I was surprised upon re-reading it that much of it is still relevant to teaching tech-savvy students. For example, collaboration and fostering community are to my mind driving forces for and key outcomes of using technology in the classroom (”classroom” writ large).
As someone who studies performances of identity in everyday life, though, I am interested in the ways technology complicates the notion of rituals as I address it in my teaching philosophy. Rituals and ceremonies are fundamental ways of communicating values in cultures, communities, organizations and, I think, classrooms. Whether we’re talking about awards ceremonies, weddings, funerals, or coming of age rituals, the body figures prominently. Since technology disembodies, some might argue, how does the use of technology affect the ritualistic aspects of teaching? I understand that technology complicates notions of the body (like avatars in Second Life or simply pictures on the web), but that still leaves me pondering the role of the body in the ritual of teaching.
