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Question of the Week Archive
December 24, 2007 - December 31, 2007
The Tipping Point
Are we finally nearing that tipping point at which technology really takes hold and we begin to see dramatic changes in the ways in which we teach and student learn?
What you see as the critical ingredient that truly could change classrooms in 2008? |
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a) 24/7 access to technology with one-to-one programs |
 15.0% |
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b) Less emphasis on testing |
 13.3% |
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c) Better/more professional development |
 16.7% |
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d) More emphasis on 21st century skills |
 23.3% |
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e) Adoption of Web 2.0, read/write tools |
 8.3% |
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f) Digital resources tightly aligned to the curriculum |
 23.3% |
Comments
Kathy Benson kbenson@bcps.org - 30/12/2007 19:31
c-76-114-174-0.hsd1.md.comcast.net
To get to the tipping point, there needs to be a sense of urgency. I don't see that within the culture of the teaching profession in the US. In general, traditional educational practices are seen as adequate. The prevailing view is that students are needier, parents are less supportive, and the current curriculum is not developmentally appropriate for elementary school students. Until most educators see the need to change, change will be difficult.
Kenneth Grisham keng@readingmadeeasy.com - 27/12/2007 08:02
h-66-166-172-222.chcgilgm.covad.net
There is now more information in the world in electronic digital form than in hardcopy form AND THAT TREND IS ACCELERATING!!! What this evolution effectively means is that, increasingly, new information will NEVER APPEAR IN HARDCOPY PRINT!! We will only be able to find new information in electronic form. A fast-moving and increasingly impatient world has little time to wait for a traditional book or magazine to be printed by institutional publishing behemoths. Fueled by the ubiquity of the Internet, facilities and tools such as MY SPACE and YOU TUBE (and wealth of others that did not exist even 3 years ago) now make it very straightforward for almost anyone TO PUBLISH INFORMATION THEMSELVES FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE….thereby transcending geographic, linguistic and cultural boundaries. Can you even imagine world now WITHOUT GOOGLE? We are all witnessing nothing less than a "sea change" in how we as humans interact, communicate and educate. Where traditional information has historically been delivered "top down" from educators, we are rapidly finding that access to information is becoming more collaborative in form……peers and colleagues more easily and openly creating and sharing information like never before. Students are no longer constrained by a hierarchy of educators and administrators as their sole channel for access to information. So what does this mean? Comprehensive, robust literacy tools are quickly becoming a matter of competitive edge, efficiency and, dare we say, even "digital survival". Why "digital survival"???? Because in order to cope with the onslaught of digital content without drowning, all of us as "knowledge seekers" must adapt and adopt much more effective strategies for employing tools and techniques that enable us to sift through information in organized, efficient and meaningful ways. Said another way, digital content without digital literacy tools will quick become a disarray of unfulfilled opportunity. This isn’t needed in 5 years, because in our 21st century global economy, 5 years from now will be too late. EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE LEARNING AND USING THESE TECHNOLOGIES NOW!!! Tools for electronic reading AND writing technologies are becoming essential. Capabilities such a digital content reading and writing, focused text searching, language model summarization, user-driven content selection / extraction, and even creation of digital audio and video will all play important roles in our ability to optimize our digestion and absorption of information. As we speak, we see our jobs changing in front of us in response to the digital revolution. Integration of digital content into the fabric of the day-to-day curriculum is a cornerstone of the shift to 24x7, one-to-one application of technology for all students. Paralleling this must be the investment in development of education professionals (including senior administration) to understand and implement a "digital academic platform".
James Sigler sigler1@cableone.net - 26/12/2007 21:54
24-119-10-22.cpe.cableone.net
It's about the learning, not about the technology. However, students and teachers still need to have ready access to Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. 1 to 1. To make it about the learning, there must be sustained, long-term, high quality professional development. Some will need to be convinced of the need for the technology through the need for 21 century skills. Finally, it needs to save the teacher time, not take more of it, because time is the most precious resource in the classroom.
Judi Wolf techteach@adelphia.net - 26/12/2007 17:47
cpe-76-190-136-128.neo.res.rr.com
As a workshop presenter, I hear over and over again the frustration of teachers who have many things that they want to do blocked by people in charge of the technology. Many are not even teachers. They are allowed no downloading, no blogging, wikis, or any participation by students. Shouldn't teachers be able to control this? Please help me address this issue in my workshops.
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