I know that it seems silly to rave about how technology has changed our lives, but I think that it’s important for those of us who may be “digital immigrants” to reflect on the changes. It’s very easy to forget how quickly technology changes our lives.
I am currently in Bonito, Brazil hanging out at the pool writing this blog post. Bonito is a very small town near the Paraguayan border and it’s not exactly considered high tech. Bonito is known for its natural beauty and outdoor adventure activities (I probably shouldn’t even have brought my laptop). How long has it even been possible for people to access a wireless network here in Bonito?
What did we do before…
- Skype allowed us to interview teacher candidates? This year I have interviewed teachers who have been in China, Korea, the United States, Turkey, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan and the majority of our hires have come via Skype interviews and online reference checks. Who needs the job fairs anymore?
- digital book readers were invented? I recently entered the digital print world by reading my first book on my new iPad. I don’t see myself going back to paper books any time in the near future. What a great option for those of us who are overseas and find it hard to get current books (in English).
- GPS navigators allow us to go anywhere without knowing how to get there? I panicked when I couldn’t find our GPS navigator because it is a necessity in Sao Paulo. Before having the navigator I used to get directions in Google Maps and download them to my smart phone. Before that I used to print out the maps and directions.
- video rentals were available for download? My children downloaded rental movies through iTunes so that they could watch movies on our iPad during the car trip to Rio de Janeiro. No need for the in car DVD player.
- tools like Skype and Google Docs were available for us to use with outside consultants? At school, we believe that we can work with a consultant via Skype, Google Docs and other tools rather than have him/her visit our campus. Think of the benefits that this model provides us with. Instead of bringing someone in for a few days, we can work with the person over several week or months.
- Facebook connected us with friends that we have not seen in years. I love the fact that I am communicating with friends from high school via Facebook. Who needs a reunion?
- before cloud technology allowed us to save files online? I recently had a third hard drive crash on my laptop and I never once worried about losing files. All of my files are saved in Live Mesh. I finally learned my lesson after losing a hard drive the day before an important presentation.
What examples do you have in your personal/professional life?
Filed under: Change Agent, Instructional Leader, Leadership, Visionary | Tags: 21st Century Schools, change, Disruptive Innovation, Educational Leadership, Future, Software-based learning, Technology, Vision
Repeatedly, originally uploaded by OsakaBen.
This summer I am working on getting through my list of books to read. It’s a good thing that my summer has been extended because I was way behind. Fortunately I was in the middle of Disrupting Class by Christenson, Horn and Johnson when I saw Scott McLeod’s presentation at NECC. Scott’s presentation got my into the spirit and the book really pushed my thinking on the role of technology in education. For years I have promoted the integration of technology into the classroom while the authors of Disrupting Class are now telling me that, “Teachers have implemented computers in the most common-sense way- to sustain their existing practices and pedogogies rather than displace them.” and that the real disruption will be with software-delivered instruction. There’s even a section entitled, “Cramming Computers in Schools”.
Sure, I’ve complained that too many educators “don’t get it”, “that it’s not happening fast enough, that the majority of uses of technology in the classroom is lame, and that we have to keep pushing this change in instructional tools. What has kept me going is that I have witnessed classrooms where the tools are making a difference in student learning. My vision for schools was soundly based on the integration model and I truly believed that progress was essential and possible.
Christensen, Horn and Johnson are now laying out a new paradigm that is forcing me to step outside my comfort zone. They describe an educational system where…
- the classrooms are virtual and students are guided by software that is tailored to learning styles.
- the feedback to students will be immediate and they will not move ahead unless they have mastered the topic.
- the pace will be determined by the student’s needs
- the role of teachers will be to coach their students (many more students) during the various stages of learning.
- schools are organized, not geographically, but by students’ individual learning styles.
Can this really be true? Are companies like leArnin3.com and ALEKS on the cutting edge? Do I need to stop chanting the integration model mantra and start plugging software options?
I am going to seriously begin looking at how I can use their suggestions for school leaders.
“Use the right tools to introduce change….negotiation toward radical change simply won’t work.”
“Solve it (problems) by facilitating disruption.”
“each school should have one person – whose sole job is to implement online courses.”
“Don’t place artificial limits on what students can take online or what teachers can build online either…”
