Moving Up the Continuum

"Most of us want to practice the things we're already good at, and avoid the
things we suck at. We stay average or intermediate amateurs forever." --Creating
Passionate Users

This quote from the Creating Passionate Users blog really struck a personal chord for me as an educational technologist. I find this statement fits me like a glove. I hate to practice things I deem I am not good at, like cooking...cleaning....(ok those are unfair examples) or writing a great blog post. Some things I don't enjoy completing but know I must master in order to move forward are synonymous with fingernails on a chalkboard. I'd almost rather clean toilets than complete what I know I must.

Might this be the same feeling that some of our most hesitant techno-phobic teachers must feel when we present them with a new technology tool to use, or pedagogy relating to how technology will help prepare their students for the 21st century? I can imagine the dread. It's the same dread I feel when I have to balance my checkbook, or have company over for dinner. To some, these tasks are trivial and minute. For me they present a mountain over which I must climb.

Yet the research shows that if we were willing to put in the time to practice the things that aren't so fun, we could become good. Great. Potentially brilliant. There is nothing but ourselves holding us at mediocrity.

Knowing that whatever we are good at becomes more fun, how can we move our teachers toward proficiency and away from being satisfied with where the are on the technology continuum?

Understanding teachers' point of view will go a long way toward encouraging them to spend the time to practice those very things that they feel they're not good at. Encouraging every attempt at increased technology use can only improve their proficiency and comfort with this medium.

But the most important point is remembering that the individuals that really reap the benefit of this increased effort, are the students. And isn't that really why we do what we do? Isn't that motivation enough?

What do you think?