11.15.06
21st-Century Schools Need 21st-Century Technology
Here is a fantastic article on the Edutopia site that was pointed out to me earlier, interesting that this article also refers some to the use of role-playing type games in the educational setting, but also touches on economic / technological barriers such as student to computer ratio.
The missing technological element is true one-to-one computing, in which each student has a device he or she can work on, keep, customize, and take home. For true technological advance to occur, the computers must be personal to each learner. When used properly and well for education, these computers become extensions of the students’ personal self and brain.
The author also discusses some of the social aspects of why Schools are generally resistant to embracing new technologies, and suggests that Teachers may be well served by consulting with their students regarding technology in the classroom, since many students are far more savvy technologically, generally.
These “digital natives” (Students) are born into digital technology. Conversely, their teachers (and all older adults) are “digital immigrants.” Having learned about digital technology later in life, digital immigrants retain their predigital “accents” — such as, thinking that virtual relationships (those that exist only online) are somehow less real or important than face-to-face ones. Such outmoded perspectives are serious barriers to our students’ twenty-first-century progress.
A very interesting read, and what seems to be a very interesting website.