There are again two topics for tonight’s #Edchat which are very close on the votes but also very close from the topic itself.
If lessons aren’t engaging students, shouldn’t we address that, as opposed to blaming the Internet or Technology for being a distraction?
How are we as educators preparing our students for a technology rich & technology competitive society?
For all of you who visit my blog for the first time a little bit about myself and the perspective I will approach this topic from. Beside this education 2.0 blog of mine where I try to cover most of the things happening on the business sector of online education I am an independent language coach. For about 3 years I teach about 90% of my lessons online. I am specialized in conversational lessons with adults from around the globe. I used to teach children and teenagers offline for about 4 years, too.
Therefore my view on the #Edchat topic is from the edupreneurial point, the view of an independent language coach who uses the internet as teaching platform 7/7.
So with no further ado here are my thoughts on the two topics. I hope you get something out of it.
Maybe we should start with the second question first and ask ourselves how can we prepare ourselves for a technology rich and competitive society? The children will grow into it anyway. I mean we all survived the introduction of television which was seen as one of the reasons for a new level of stupidity amongst the younger generation.
Lets face it, every technological shift will be blamed for distracting, making mind dull and I know don’t know what. That is always the problem of the elder generation, the generation that takes the decisions and is simply too comfort with their day to day “challenges”.
But now the table might turn and the teachers will be the ones in the rain? Why? Because of the famous report that is quoted everywhere since it first appeared. Remember? Report proves that online learning shows better results than classic face to face? Think about it. In two recent NYT articles you can read the following:
[...] The Department of Education recently announced that it was developing a new National Educational Technology Plan to provide a “vision of how information and communications technologies can help transform American education.” The plan, the agency said, will include “concrete goals,” with a draft expected early next year. [...]
and in a second article
[...] the Ridgewood district is replacing its three elementary school Spanish teachers with Rosetta Stone, an interactive computer program that cost $70,000, less than half their combined salaries. [...]
Well, I think you can add one and one together here. Not the students need to be prepared for technology or a tougher, faster society. They bleed technology. We, the teachers need to be on the run to keep up with them.
Second question, same problem. You cannot approach students of today with methods from the last centuries. About 75% of the day those kids live in the “real world” and then you want to approach them with a historic approach of teaching? Outside the classroom they play with their cells, meet on Facebook, Twitter, do vlogs, play online games and so on. The whole world around them is digital. It’s the real life, it’s their natural environment. And then, in the classroom this all ain’t true anymore? Does not make much sense, does it?
So if the public education system is not facing this logic gap then it will make itself obsolete sooner or later and educational companies will fill the gap. Like in the health care system, there will be a rather bad minimum service but if you want that your kid succeed, you will need to invest more and more into his / her education.
Related Posts:
- #Edchat 06-22-2010 In what ways, if any, are PLNs having an effect on the education system?
- #Edchat 06-15-2010 How do we assess whether a student can critically think?
- #Edchat 09-22 Social Media in our Society and Education
- #Edchat 08-25 Does homework raise attainment?
- Converting Offline Students to Online Students
