If we were really serious about educational technology, we would... [Here are 10 to get you started.]
- Show students how to edit their privacy settings and use groups in Facebook instead of banning online social networks because they're "dangerous" and/or "frivolous";
- Teach students to understand and contribute to the online information commons rather than just saying no to Wikipedia;
- Put a robust digital learning device into every student's hands (or let them bring and use their own) instead of pretending that we live in a pencil, notebook paper, and ring binder world;
- Integrate digital learning and teaching tools into subject-specific pre-service methods courses rather than marginalizing instructional technology as a separate course;
- Understand the true risk of students encountering online predators and make policy accordingly instead of succumbing to scare tactics by the media, politicians, law enforcement, computer security vendors, and others;
- Find out the exact percentage of our schools' families that don't have broadband Internet access at home rather than treating the amorphous 'digital divide' as a reason not to assign any homework that involves use of the Internet;
- Treat seriously and own personallythe task of becoming proficient with the digital tools that are transforming everything instead of nonchalantly chuckling about how little we as educators know about computers;
- Recognize the power and potential (and limitations) of online learning rather than blithely assuming that it can't be as good as face-to-face instruction;
- Tap into and utilize the technological interest and knowledge of students instead of pretending that they have nothing to contribute;
- Better educate and train school administrators rather than continuing to turn out new leaders that know virtually nothing about creating, facilitating, and/or sustaining 21st century learning environments;
- and so on...
What else could we add to the list?
If we were really serious about (educational technology issue), we would (?) instead of (?).
Isn't it time for us to get serious about educational technology?
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Just a thought. I really think we need to change how classrooms look.
Immersing both pre-service teachers (whatever field their degree is in) and new administrators in technology rich learning experiences is very important. You put it so well--"Better educate and train school administrators rather than continuing to turn out new leaders that know virtually nothing about creating, facilitating, and/or sustaining 21st century learning environments."
It takes leadership to lead a school forward, to create policies that support technology use or teacher inservice(like changing the school day schedule or providing inservice time or extended learning time for teachers), and to create an environment that is technology "friendly" in the first place. It takes an informed leader that won't react to the first "fear-mongering" news story, but has a deep understanding of the roles of technology in our current culture--both the pros and the cons, and then responds meaningfully and sets a role model for teachers in their school. It takes a leader to ask for the resources needed to help teachers and students be successful in making technology a ubiquitous part of their learning experience.
- Allow students open-access to technology and the internet during assessments
- Stop buying "doorstop textbooks" and create your own e-textbook mashups
- pay attention to brain research and how it impacts teaching, not just learning
Other ideas may be found here: http://taffee.edublogs.org/2009/11/06/what-if/ and here: http://taffee.edublogs.org/2009/11/16/what-if-another-bakers-dozen/
Teach students what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, what copyright is and how to respect it.
Teach students how to use the information they find and how to do a proper citation.
BTW these and many of the skills above are taught by teacher librarians whose jobs are being eliminated due to the current budget cuts.
California has one teacher librarian for every 5 THOUSAND students.
So that math.
I love this post! It really struck home with me and it inspired my own post here: http://macmomma.blogspot.com/2010/11/scott-mcleod-s-recent-post-in.html
Thank you for always pushing my thinking.
Lee
She also tells me that the government-issued laptops are crashing daily, if not completely breaking down by the dozens every day. (She obviously remains in touch with her friends through social networking sites.)
If we're going to invest in technological infrastructure, let's be smart about it!
I was encouraged by the inclusion of Item number 4 in the list; "Integrate digital learning and teaching tools into subject-specific pre-service methods courses rather than marginalizing instructional technology as a separate course."
Unless we want to wait years for the results of this strategy to bear fruit in a classroom, we also need a formal remedial process for in-service teachers, administrators and school boards. This is a step individual communities can take now and something that is making a difference in Davie County, NC.
Thanks again for the list.
That is the teacher librarian. That is if a school is fortunate enough to have a full time credentialed librarian. Often they are the first to be eliminated in the budget crisis as most administrators think all they do is shelve books and shush people.
I do not have a Facebook or Twitter account for the very reasons you state.
While it is certainly important students know I can't say it would deter many of them.
Effective communication (Debate) is left to extracurricular debating clubs. I have no idea where students in general learn how to analyze a political speech for content and idea development. I guess that is in the debating clubs again.
While our citizens continue to elect representatives based on the emotional content of speeches we will continue to elect people that see the only purpose of education as a job factory. Look at the quality of public debate to see the biggest problem facing American society today.
We need to stop raising the standards for technology and start raising the standards for effective citizenship and the ability to navigate a complex world, including how to handle all the points that you mention in your article.
Our mathematicians/scientists/engineers are doing just fine. It is the public that is getting fooled by the flimsy rhetoric of our politicians that needs "educational help."
Oh, and how would we pay for it, conservatives will of course ask?
SIMPLE.
Let the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% expire, and use THAT 700 billion dollars over the next 10 years.
If Obama wanted to - all at the same time - guarantee his re-election, immediately jumpstart the economy because of all the work that would have to be done on so many schools in so many communities throughout the country (especially low-income communities), give EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN CHILD world-class educational facilities and technologies (when did it become the case that NOT doing so became acceptable in this supposedly "richest country in the world"?), and give every single child a shot at a successful life AND allowing the U.S. to compete in the global jobs marketplace for decades to come...
All he would have to do is announce this plan during his SOTU and then sit back and watch the Republicans try to block it. Now I would hope that the Republicans WOULDN'T try to block it because of the great effects it would have on your economy and our kids, but...
Murdoch just bought into education. Do you think he was being philanthropic?