Reaction to Michael Wesch Keynote Speech

 I thought Michael Wesch's keynote speech, given this morning, was truly inspirational.  At times, during presentations centering around technology, I feel like presenters get lost in "cool" and often very interesting applications of the technology and, in doing so, lose track of the questions of why and how the technology benefits us.  When this happens, the connections between technology and humanity can become obscured, which does not allow us to clarify and modify efficiently our notions of how the technology presented can allow us to foster the interconnectedness that technology can be a great tool in fostering.  During Mr. Wesch's presentation, however, I was struck by how the technology he spoke about was solely presented in ways that spoke to notions I believe are at the core of being a human being in a human society.  As someone who rarely enjoyed being a student, I appreciate the way he presented technology as a tool to not make what we do in school more efficient, but to change the way we are learning with our students in very fundamental ways.  Both empathy and connectedness were at the core of every part his presentation.  Every idea he shared -- concrete and implicit -- allowed me, in my head, to break down the walls of my classroom, grab a shovel, go out to the field, and start to dig alongside my students with their shovels.