Thursday, January 24, 2013

Time to move? NOW!

So I was walking out of my office into the library when I looked over at a row of computers.  There was a girl typing a paper and a boy sitting next to her working.  What caught my eye wasn't that the boy was working on the computer, but he was sitting back in the chair with one leg crossed over the other and a tablet in his lap.  I asked him what he was up to, and he said he was doing some research.  I asked him why he wasn't using the computer.  Thinking he was in trouble, he started to put his tablet away and was sliding his chair in to log in to the computer, but I assured him it was okay that he was using the tablet, I was just wondering why he made the choice to use a tablet with a perfectly good computer in front of him.  He didn't know the answer, but I had a pretty good idea.  He was using the tool he felt most comfortable with, a tablet.
It is time for schools to move on and use the tools with which students want to and need to learn.  Students have always wanted to use the most recent gadgets and technology, so why limit them?  This is a great opportunity for education to show students that using smartphones, tablets and e-readers is okay to learn and communicate with, but we need to teach ethical and proper use of these in the educational and world setting.
I feel that I may be preaching to the choir because many schools seem to be heading the way of one-to-one and BYOD, but it also seems that caution is a hindrance and not a safe open door.  We need to protect students and school networks but we don't need an iron curtain keeping information out and students frustrated.  A moderate security policy with clear expectations as well as instruction of staff and students on proper use of technology would go a long way in creating a 21st century environment.
My vision is that technology isn't locked in a computer lab or classroom or any one room or area in a school, but rather it is a part of the school environment.  Technology could be used anywhere, so learning isn't limited to a specific place, but rather it just happens.  Students find the answer to their query in the hall on the way to class, they complete a presentation at the lunch table, they record an interview in the classroom or office, and on and on.
There are problems that will occur, there always are and there always were even before computer/wi-fi technology.  But with an honest and effective approach, the problems should be minimal.  Is it worth the risk?  I believe so.

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