Tomorrow morning, I am off to California for a weekend technology retreat with the National Writing Project. It’s a long way to go but I bet the discussions and work will be most interesting, as I am part of a group of teachers who are working on developing technology resources through a program partnership with NWP and the MacArthur Foundation, and others. This is pretty exciting work. Our Western Massachusetts Writing Project has proposed developing resources around some main themes:

  • using technology for social justice
  • using voice (podcasting, etc)
  • assessing digital media in the classroom

I don’t know what the actual resources will look like at this point (thus, the retreat) but I expect it will be a way for teachers to engage their students with writing and technology on many levels and provide a foothold for them to do so in the classroom. I am being joined by a member of my WMWP Technology Team and in California, there will be teams from other sites. It will be great to connect with them and socialize (of course) and wander around Berkeley again. The weather looks nice, too (bonus!).

Here is one dilemma: I hate bringing my PC with me. It’s too heavy and I am too cheap to buy a new one. I do have my little green XO and I think, for the first time, I am going to use is as my primary computer for a business-related trip. I wonder how it will be? I know the small keyboard will slow me down and there are other limitations, but it will also allow me to see if it can be depended upon as a real tool and not just a fun technology toy (I know it is more than that, of course).

Peace (in travel),
Kevin