Good Morning everyone:

My name is Nadia Quiroz-Colby.  I have been working 
in adult education for many years.  My experience is
restricted to instruction and curriculum development
for my classes.  I am not a computer wiz, and I have
only taken one course on line.  I participated in the
pilot program from the Kentucky School System in
partnership with PBS for a Civics and Citizenship
teacher training.  The course did not include
interaction with a facilitator, but I got great
information from it.

I have gotten professional development mostly face to
face.  I must say that I enjoy very much the contact I
have with colleagues.  In academic settings I like to
be physically in contact with professors and
classmates because there are nuances and gestures that
you understand better when you see the people around
you.  I also like the challenge to defend or suggest a
position face to face because I am the type of person
that does not like to speak in public.  And, in a way
I feel that the more you participate the less afraid
you are as you make progress with the content material
of the course.  This can only help you become a better
advocate for the quality and quantity of services that
education in general needs. To an extent I feel that
Bonita Solberg is right on target when she states that
the nature of the training offered to teachers in her
region needs more physical contact and a strong sense
of community, such as one created by a teachers'
retreat.  Sharing your lunch during a break, visiting
the landscape or the surroundings of the area where
the retreat is taking place might be small steps in
creating that warmth and sense of solidarity that you
need, -aside- from and -added- to a virtual community.

I have been following the discussion.  I am amazed
about the amount of on line resources, ideas and
information available for teachers.  Information that
can be an incredibly enriching complement to physical
interaction in academic settings. 

I have some comments to make in reference to previous
postings:

a) "Lurking":  I think that it is true that a lot of
us are in 2 or 3 discussion lists (some said 20...)
and tend to be quiet.  But if we lurk maybe we are
getting information that we find useful.  We might not
be ready, though, to make a contribution.  I tend to
think that people that receive 20 to 30 e mails a day
keep their subscription only if they are  interested
in the content they get.

b) This takes me to something that I have been
thinking about and wondering if it can or should be
addressed in this discussion.  Somehow I feel that it
is a foundation for everything that is being discussed
here.   I have read about "tappedin", blogs, hybrid
PD, blended PD and other terms and sites that are food
for thought, and a challenge to learn about.

c) The question that I have is concerned with the
digital divide.  I know that there are colleagues from
Brazil and Venezuela in this discussion, and also
instructors and administrators who work in places that
make on line professional development almost a must. 
Traveling costs for example becoming a barrier for
gathering all the instructors in one place. Without a
doubt funding and support, as stated by David Rosen is
crucial in having teachers participate in on line
professinal development.  Even more so because there
are colleagues that don't have an upgraded computer
useful for an online course.


d) How does professional development address the
digital divide from the point of view of logistics, 
within and among countries, to create a real global
electronic village?  Also, what can Dr. Dafne
Gonzales, and Barbara Dieu tell us about government
initiatives in their countries concerned with Adult
Basic Education (since in Latin America TESOL seems to
be step 2 because step 1 is making sure that our
populations read and write in Spanish, or Portuguese
in the case of Brazil), and on line training for
teachers K-12 and adult educators.  I know for a fact
that public education in Mexico City has meager
technology resources that our administrations have
consistently 
failed to increase.  Rural education has more problems
despite public initiatives with on line learning.  And
there are discrepancies within municipalities in the
quality of education that have to do with local
taxation, lobbying, NGO's initiatives, and the
distribution of federal resources.  

e) Is it feasible, reasonable or indispensable to
address the politics of the digital divide in on line
curricula?

Bridges.org seems to have a lot of information
concerning the digital dilemma.  I found this site
through the website of a cognitive science professor
in New Hampshire College, Jaime J Davila, who has
written various articles on the need to close the
digital gap. 

Thank you for all the information that I have got
through your postings and your generosity with your
expertise.

Sincerely,
Nadia Quiroz-Colby  
--- "Taylor, Jackie" <jataylor at utk.edu> wrote:


> All:

> I can't begin to tell you all how thrilled I am this

> week to have the

> opportunity to explore the issues with you. I

> realize that a one week

> follow up still has only scratched the surface on

> some very complex

> issues. We've covered a lot of ground, learned where

> we are with some of

> the issues, and in the process, have gotten to know

> each other better.

> 

> This discussion doesn't formally end until the end

> of the day on Monday.

> But in thinking back about this week, what has stood

> out to you?

> 

> I encourage you to notice not only what was said,

> but also what was NOT

> said.

> 

> 		I noticed that...

> 

> 		I'm surprised that...

> 

> 		I wonder if anyone has thought about...

> 

> And we can also agree to disagree. So what's your

> take on things?

> 

> Best, Jackie Taylor

> >

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