Converge magazine provides strategy and leadership for technology use in K-12 and higher education. Senior policy makers in education utilize Converge for articles on proven, effective educational methods and models for the 21st century and beyond.

This issue's theme: new technology language

“The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter — it’s the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain, page 50

“It provided (students) with the entire package of not only building a robot but also being able to explain why and how it was designed to work.” Maryann Bassi, page 22

“Invention is an activity that is full of risk, involving failure as much as success. Inventors meet obstacles or difficulties in their life or work and decide to invent their way to a solution.” Akhil Madhani, page 20

“It was really taking a project that was supposed to be debate, which was supposed to be seen as serious, and then having fun with it and being creative with it.” Lisa Marie Young, page 28

“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word.” Joseph Conrad, page 50

Download Converge Magazine, Spring 2008

PDF format, 3.3MB, 38Pages.

Contributors:
Sara Cardine
Sara Cardine is a journalist and freelance writer living in Kennesaw, Ga. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Slavic Languages and Literature from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., where her love of words got its biggest boost.

Jamie Devereaux
Jamie Devereaux, associate editor, holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Western Michigan University. She previously wrote for Common Ground, an environmentally focused magazine.

Jeana Graham
Jeana Graham, managing editor, holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri at Columbia. She previously worked as a copy editor for the Vallejo (Ca.) Times Herald.

Mark Gura
Mark Gura has been an educator for more than three decades. The former director of instructional technology for the New York City public school system, he currently works with Fordham University’s Regional Educational Technology Center.

Kahliah Laney
Kahliah Laney, staff writer and copy editor, holds bachelor’s degrees in English and sociology from the University of California, Davis.

Ted Mero
Ted Mero is a writer living in Sacramento, Calif. He currently works as a daily newspaper reporter for the Lodi (Ca.) News-Sentinel and holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism and English from Western Michigan University.

Bernard Percy
Bernard Percy is a noted educator and communicator; from 1998 to 2003 he was co-founder and editor in chief of Converge magazine. Percy is the author of several books on education.

Brian Studler
Brian Studler is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. He is currently working on the television show “Brothers and Sisters.”

Visit Converge Magazine Official Website

Converge Magazine: Technology in Education.

Side by side
Hold the Anchovies

Welcome to our neologism issue. A neologism is the invention of a word or the use of new words defining new concepts (Random House Dictionary). E-mail is a well known example of a neologism. Here are a few of my favorites: the “ohnosecond,” the moment between sending an e-mail and regretting it and “giraffiti,” vandalism painted very, very high. OK, on a personal note, how about participating in a “decafalon,” the grueling event of getting through the day only consuming food that is good for you (Urban Dictionary).

Seriously, language is fascinating. According to some sources, there are about 5,000 different languages spoken in the world today, but word scholars group them into only about 20 different language families. This is done out of the theory that all languages derive from a handful of original languages. Language evolves culturally to reflect the signs of the times, to describe new situations and ideas. Certainly technology has been an incredible example of that. Politically, governments sometimes resist the adoption of new, culturally derived phrases. In the U.S., I recall a lively political debate over ebonics in California schools.

There is one thing certain about the power of language and it’s a vital thing for all of us to understand in the world of education. Without language there is limited communication, but without accurate duplication of that communication, mistakes are made, conflicts arise and stupidity ensues. With that in mind, we hope you enjoy our fun, feature story in this issue. Albeit not the Rosetta Stone, it represents a small step toward helping make sense out of the techno-world surrounding us.

Marina Leight
Vice President
Center for Digital Education

Kids are great: They are able to remake language to fit with what they see and want to communicate. In this issue, we talk about the new words of this generation so we can talk to the youngsters around us. Since words are the building blocks of all communication, this is no small thing.

Without an understanding of real meanings we can make big mistakes in educating this generation. One of the funniest wording mistakes I have ever made had to do with ordering pizza for my 16th birthday. I was allowed to order two gigantic pizzas for all of my friends. In the course of phoning up the pizza parlor, I asked for one of the pizzas to have “the works” including, “those little black things.” The order taker said, “Oh, you mean anchovies?” Since I didn’t know what anchovies were, and I figured the adult on the other end of the line knew better, I responded with a “yes.” What I had really wanted was olives. In the end, no one ate the anchovy pizza and I was a laughingstock at my own birthday party.

Here at Converge, we continually hear of new strategies to create greater “engagement” of students because kids so often tune out. The fact is, you would too if the language being used was foreign to you or you were uncertain and just blindly following the authority figures around you.

So the simple lesson is to learn the language and engage on common ground.

LeiLani Cauthen
Associate Publisher
Center for Digital Education

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