EDUSPEAK- The newest language barrier

Communication seems to be difficult enough as it is, with the number of languages present in any given community, without adding more sets of ambiguous words into the academic arena. With a multitude of definitions for the same words, you may now need to clarify your intentions depending on your audience.
Much like the problem with governmental jargon Eduspeak does not stand to benefit anyone but those in the hierarchial positions who invented it. The Quebec Education Program (QEP) is the perfect example of a disadvantage in this area. The QEP is formulated by members of government, involved in the ministry of education. It is a document that dictates what teachers must teach using extremely vague terms. Not only is this an attempt to control what people think through limiting and constraining what can be taught, but it also generates a lot of confusion as the language is often difficult to understand and can be interpreted in more than one way. We are further inconvenienced by this new vocabulary as it widens the gap between the already difficult parent-teacher communication. Eduspeak offends parents just as teenagers who develop their own type of slang lingo do to those who are trying to communicate with them. In the case of teens, the purpose of an alternate language is to keep others out of their conversations or enable them to speak amongst themselves without some people understanding their meaning. If there are similar intentions on the part of the developers of Eduspeak there can be no surprise that there are so many issues between teachers and their administration, as well as teachers and parents.

Living WITH Technology Vs. Living IN technology

I think that introducing technology for learning purposes is a great way to build on the experiences of the new generation of students that we are faced with these days. Many elementary and secondary age children are already computer savvy and use the internet as a source of entertainment and a venue for academic research.
As stated in chapter three of the textbook "Rethinking Technology in schools" websites like YouTube, SchoolTube and blog sites allow students the opportunity to interact with each other while learning. Although these sites do support the idea of a 'Cybercitizen' (a person who is actively involved in online communities and uses the internet to engage in activities that are socially and/or politically responsible) there is also a danger of these types of communication being taken too far.
A good example of this would be applications like Second Life. When people start creating Avatars and participating in virtual communities there is a sense of self that is lost. There is a difference between using technology as a tool and re-creating yourself through technology. People may loose touch with reality and and become less responsible or accountable for their own actions. The goal of technology is to improve and facilitate life not replace it.