Project Tomorrow, authors of the annual “Speak Up” (formally know as NetDay) survey, which this year polled over a quarter of a million students, just released to Congress their 2008 findings. The results can be easily summarized.Students make frequent and proficient use of digital technologies to increase the reach of their own curiosity, just not in the classroom.
Project Tomorrow, guided by their 250K respondents, had five major recommendations for the nation.
- increase the use of mobile devices for learning purposes
- create interactive, participatory learning spaces
- incorporate Web 2.0 tools into daily instruction for collaborative learning
- expand access to digital resources in the classroom
- get beyond the classroom walls to make learning truly experimental
It is the fourth recommendation that is the topic of this blog and key to the other five. Without actual physical access to these technologies, students can’t use mobile devices, create interactive spaces, incorporate Web 2.0 tools, or experiment in a way that professional scientists and researchers experiment.
My research will attempt to uncover impediments to technology access in schools because...
Access is the key.
I went to the website and found myself fascinated by the student's comments. They seem to see pretty clearly the classroom that could be. Connected to each other and to other classrooms with numerous sources to learn from and numerous ways to do it. Everyone choosing the learning style and the pace they prefer. The teacher ceases to be a lecturer and becomes a guide, referee, tutor, coach and many other roles.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be in this classroom, but it has problems--expensive (you are absolutely correct when you say access is the key), the teachers must be open to new ideas, they must be even more educated and fast on their feet because you never know where a student's curiosity might lead.
It would be a interesting place to be. Unfortunately I don't see this ever happening partly because of money and partly because it would require a high level of trust in both student and teacher by the school administrations. The role of parents gets involved because a radical change might not be welcome (I remember when the schools decided to teach set theory, "the New Math" and none of the parents could help their kids with the homework) and many parents do not want their children exposed to certain ideas.
I also read the students' comments. I also was fascinated. They all want laptops, they all want more online involvement, they all want more teacher attention: they all want very expensive things. Their wants cannot be addressed all at one time - it is fiscally impossible. However, the first step is not a computer for each child but adequate training the teacher.They should be so at ease with the technology that they consider it a tool and not a subject (https://www.msu.edu/~strach12/DevelopmentallyAppropriateComputerUse1202.htm#Computer%20Lab%20Setting%20vs.%20Classroom).
ReplyDeleteThe second step is classroom access to the technology. A laptop for every child is a wonderful goal. I would like to see it happen. A less expensive but probably less effective (because computers should be a part of the classroom furniture) option is a mobile computer lab (https://www.msu.edu/~sankar10/My%20page/ARP%20Proposal.doc ). That way, at least some of the time, there is the possibility for a laptop classroom.
Maybe they should all move to Maine. ;)
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your first conclusion but agree with your second.
I wouldn't wait for teachers to be technology experts to get computers into the classrooms. Teachers would be amazed how much the students have to teach them.
Regarding laptops carts... I was just about to a post about them. I'll meet you at my next post. :)