Technology has great potential to “level the playing field”.  It also has great potential to divide it even more.

Unfortunately, it may be the latter statement that is true in many cases.  I am speaking from the point of view of an occasional teacher who goes into different schools across a large city.  I am not a consultant or an expert, and thus, this blog is simply my humble opinion.

There are a lot of great teachers doing great things with technology in their classrooms.  That is Truth.  I’ve seen it; they share it; the students love it and they are engaged.  These are all facts.  And, this is all very Awesome.

But, what about all of those teachers who would love to get in on all of this only to find that the school they teach at does not have the technological resources available to do so?  What about the students who do not get to build an application for an iPad because their school does not have even one iPad?  What about the schools with no Smart Boards, or classrooms without one computer, never mind a pod?  What about the school without digital cameras or the means to create a Podcast, or to Skype professionals around the world? What about those schools where the main concern is the Food Programs because the students are not coming to school with enough food?

Sure, you don’t NEED technology to teach.  We’ve been doing it without forever, but wouldn’t these students benefit from the experience gained and the engagement that technology can provide?

I am not at all suggesting that any teachers stop what they are doing with technology in their classrooms, but something needs to be done.  It seems that education is all about, “No Child Left Behind” and “Every Child Matters” and similar such Sentiments.  It is being said by Boards and Provinces, but is it really being reflected?  Not all the time.  It comes down to money.  It always comes down to money.  Technology seems to be furthering the divide between the “Haves” and the “Have-Nots”, perpetuating the cycle.  Some of our young people will be fluent in Digital Literacies and others will not be.  I wonder who will have a better chance at getting into higher education, and then better-paid careers?  Who will be more likely to remain engaged in their learning and stay in school?

(*Just something I’ve been pondering this week.)

BUMP IT UP – Do Better to Be Better!

I have recently come across this article by Marc Prensky, 2009, in which he 'examines ways in which existing technologies and future developments in the digital world could facilitate the development of wisdom and wise decison making.'  http://www.wisdompage.com/Prensky01.html

In other word's, digital technologies are allowing us to think in whole new ways.  Further, the speed in which these technologies are being created and changing keeps us on our toes.  To our students, this is second-nature them.  They do not get the problems that their older teachers and parents may be having with all of this.  Basically, it is change and it is coming at us faster than ever.  Change in Education has always been met with resistance, but, now, instead of the Evolution of Education, we have a Revolution of Education.

To understand some of the resistance, we can look at the purpose, or function, of Education.  But, of course, it depends who you ask, and do we mean, "What should the purpose of education be?" versus, "What is the purpose of our present education system?"

Of course rote and memorization and facts and 'only one right answer' is all very measurable.   But, critical thinking skills and creativity - how on Earth do you quantify that?  You can, however, see the results of this new thinking by looking at what our students are producing; by listening to what they are saying; by looking at the jobs the first of the Digital Natives are doing.  We are beginning to be able to see what the effects on our world are that Digital Technologies are enabling.

"Kids have it too easy, nowadays.  They don't have to find anything.  It makes them lazy.  When I went to school, if I wanted to know something, I had to physically look for the answers in books, such as encyclopedias, maybe even in the library.  Kids, today, just use Google and the answer comes up.  They can just be lazy.  Plus, they can't even add without using calculators!"

Albert Einstein recognized that, "the problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them."

The same person got into a discussion about the state of politics in our city, which is the same in most places, I believe.  Everybody complains about the idiocy of government, but instead of taking the chance to elect an all-new council, only 3 out of 15 were new, and the Mayor was similar in age and beliefs as the last bunch of mayors.  Thus, the grumbling and complaining persists.

Digital Natives are those who grew up with digital technology from birth, whereas Digital Immigrants are those who were already socialized in predigital ways when digital technology arrived on the scene. For more information, see Prensky (2001).

Our students are Digital Natives, myself and many of my colleagues are Digital Immigrants, but many people are just Analogue, I guess.

Enjoy all the beauty that surrounds you!

If I knew then what I know know.....Le sigh.  It's a cliche, I know, but geez, it's so very true!  I really wish I was more interested in History and Politics when I was in school… now, I am interested… and isn’t that a fundamental issue of education? So much of what we try to teach our students do not interest them at present, and no young person believes it when adults say, “Believe me, I felt exactly as you did when I was your age…” I know I didn’t believe them, and I smile slightly when I find myself using that same line with young people today, secretly believing that I may actually get through to them, as I’m sure the teacher saying it to my class secretly believed exactly that.

So, the question is, “How do we reach young people, so that they realize that History and Politics do affect them?” Maybe, just maybe, most young peoples’ brains are just not ready to grasp these concepts. They are dealing with their own dramatic worlds as they grow up and figure out how to be adults. I am not being sarcastic or belittling in any way. I believe that being a teenager is a naturally egocentric time. A lot of stuff is going on, so how do we reach young people?

Here is a comment I found on Facebook, expressing this sentiment: “I have a question – our 5 daughters and their spouses aged 20 – 26 all refuse to vote as doesn’t make any difference. Even when we stress that voting is a privilege they don’t care. Is this normal? How do we stop the apathy? I am embarrassed and wonder how we missed teaching them this lesson. It perturbs me a lot.” 

And, just to be clear, I am not blaming anyone – not the parents, not the teachers, nor even the youth – Blame is not going to help. What is clear, is that we need to find solutions.

Rick Mercer has tried to do this…

Raffi has a campaign to catch the “Beluga” generation as adults with the voting message…

http://www.childhonouring.org

Perhaps, we need to do more of this sort of thing… and who better to do it? Who better to show they actually care about the citizens of the very Country they want to Lead, than Politicians? Nobody! Perhaps, instead of wasting so much money on those sleazy slanderous campaigns full of lies and blame and belittling and creative story-telling, maybe they should spend money on ads informing the public HOW OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM WORKS, WHY IT IS A RIGHT AND A DUTY and definitely A PRIVILEGE, and HOW ONE PERSON CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. They need to encourage people to vote. And, if they aren’t willing to do this, then perhaps they don’t really want people to vote… (Oh, I get it.)

Come on, Politicians, Bump It Up – You gotta DO Better to BE BETTER!