We had an interesting discussion about this at our admin meeting today. I have included an interesting article about the ambitious ubiquitious access plan in the US, as well as a Sample AUP from Forest Grove School and a cool Prezi on Social Media for you to peruse.
So, should we allow kids unfettered access to the internet? If so, what steps do we need to take to ensure that it is used properly? What is the device of the future? What is the social media of the future?
Add your comments, articles and links!
I'm sorry I missed this discussion today at the meeting. I think it is surprising how much change has happened in the world of computers and technology even since I was a university student 15(ish) years ago. I bought my first computer when I was in 3rd year university, coincidentally the same year that the internet came to exist (1993) as Arpanet. Now internet-enabled devices are everywhere, but to what extent are students utilizing this technology in the classroom? I think that by and large instructional practice, in the last 15 years, has not changed much with respect to the use of technology. Certainly there are teachers who use computers for presentations (powerpoint, etc.) as well as preparation of learning materials for students. But the real value in computers, and in particular the internet, is in the power to connect; to what extent are we "connecting" our students in our classrooms (and between classrooms) in ways that prepare them for the collaboration they will need to do when we send them out into the working world? There is absolutely a gap here between what is possible and what we are doing with kids.
ReplyDeleteHere is an interesting article that takes us back 25 years to 1985 to the introduction of the Commodore 64. We must embrace the use of internet-connected devices by students within our classrooms - it is inevitable. The only question in my opinion is how we go about this in ways that are manageable for teachers and beneficial for student learning.
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/leading_from_the_classroom/2010/11/as_black_friday_and_cybermonday.html
Great post Paul. You are right, the question is not whether to proceed, that is a given. How we do it is the next step. I think it revolves around a Courtesy Policy developed in conjunction with kids and teachers.
ReplyDeleteHere is another article on what is happening presently in Green Bay with respect to policies on use of personal technology devices by students in schools and, specifically, in classrooms. There are some interesting ideas re: instructional use of devices in classrooms as well as how policies in Green Bay are presently being re-shaped in light of how many students own internet-enabled devices; why not put them to use if you can do so in a way that is more helpful to education than harmful?
ReplyDeletehttp://bit.ly/fh3PYX
Many of you may have seen this TED talk already by Diana Laufenberg:
ReplyDeletehttp://on.ted.com/8lud
Although the title is "How to Learn? From Mistakes" it is insightful in terms of Diana's comments around "where the information lives" in the past compared to technology-enabled classrooms today and how information is transported.
I can recall having a set of encyclopedias as an elementary-school aged child at my house as well (a dark-blue covered early 80s edition of the Encyclopedia Britanica); it was an awesome resource! How times have changed. And they continue to change!
For me the key idea she presents comes at 9:22 in her talk where she talks about where information comes from. For me this is quite profound.
An article on Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) for regulating device use in schools:
ReplyDelete"A Better Approach to AUPs for Mobile Devices: 5 Questions with Anthony Luscre"
http://bit.ly/hPhHk6