Submitted by Bonnie Bracey (not verified) on July 5, 2007 - 15:57.
The way that technology was introduced in this country was in a robust way. We created the ideas for the infrastructure deployment, cost factored it, and we initiatied, case studies and resources to engage, enrich, that teachers could evaluate and immerse themselves in content to learn to create new ways for learning. We funded the schools of need. We created pathways along the Superinformation highway.
The whole thing became politically charged. Just as the technology was rolled out politics got in the way. OTA was shut down , and so there was no
effective government watchdog, but the hope was that the regional centers RTEC's , would be able to help teachers transform teaching and learning.
It was interesting , the Pope, Oprah Winfrey and
Dear Abby all proclaimed the Internet to be evil.
Look who has web pages and generates sales from it now.
The link of schooling to the community has provided the engine for our democracy during the last century and a half. If someone else—a for-profit company, the federal government, entrepreneurs—provided infosections for local communities, America would be changed profoundly in ways we can now only dimly perceive.
The problem our nation now faces is how to provide infosections for everyone. There are many who are fortunate to be able to be connected to the new technologies in schools, their homes, and their community centers. Sadly there is still a very large digital divide in our own country.
There has also been a take down of the steps along the information highway, that created stop signs.
We have been talking about 21st Century Skills for about ten years now, but we have retreated into the familiar to satisfy the NCLB fervor.
The new NCLB emphasis changed teaching and learning in interesting ways. A lot of misinformation caused a retreat in spending, and seeing teachers as customers, and students as customers too, the emphasis has been on testing, not innovation, construction or project based learning.
Those who have communities, parents or neighborhoods who have continued to invest, learn and focus on technology as media, are fortunate to have these links and connections and are a giant step ahead of their peers. We do have the digitally deficit along with the digital natives and digital immigrants. Few speak about them or notice the problems.
Business leaders, engineers ,and scientists predict that we must broaden the participation of students in our nation if we are to continue to be a leader in the world field. There are a lot of initiatives that will restart the teaching of science, math, technology and engineering and also will infuse the humanities into the curriculum.
Let's hope it is not too late. We use technology for entertainment. Let's hear it for academic progress, and innovation.Let's hear it for teacher time to learn collaborative media in meaningful ways.
Technology
Submitted by Bonnie Bracey (not verified) on July 5, 2007 - 15:57.
The way that technology was introduced in this country was in a robust way. We created the ideas for the infrastructure deployment, cost factored it, and we initiatied, case studies and resources to engage, enrich, that teachers could evaluate and immerse themselves in content to learn to create new ways for learning. We funded the schools of need. We created pathways along the Superinformation highway.
The whole thing became politically charged. Just as the technology was rolled out politics got in the way. OTA was shut down , and so there was no
effective government watchdog, but the hope was that the regional centers RTEC's , would be able to help teachers transform teaching and learning.
It was interesting , the Pope, Oprah Winfrey and
Dear Abby all proclaimed the Internet to be evil.
Look who has web pages and generates sales from it now.
The link of schooling to the community has provided the engine for our democracy during the last century and a half. If someone else—a for-profit company, the federal government, entrepreneurs—provided infosections for local communities, America would be changed profoundly in ways we can now only dimly perceive.
The problem our nation now faces is how to provide infosections for everyone. There are many who are fortunate to be able to be connected to the new technologies in schools, their homes, and their community centers. Sadly there is still a very large digital divide in our own country.
There has also been a take down of the steps along the information highway, that created stop signs.
We have been talking about 21st Century Skills for about ten years now, but we have retreated into the familiar to satisfy the NCLB fervor.
The new NCLB emphasis changed teaching and learning in interesting ways. A lot of misinformation caused a retreat in spending, and seeing teachers as customers, and students as customers too, the emphasis has been on testing, not innovation, construction or project based learning.
Those who have communities, parents or neighborhoods who have continued to invest, learn and focus on technology as media, are fortunate to have these links and connections and are a giant step ahead of their peers. We do have the digitally deficit along with the digital natives and digital immigrants. Few speak about them or notice the problems.
Business leaders, engineers ,and scientists predict that we must broaden the participation of students in our nation if we are to continue to be a leader in the world field. There are a lot of initiatives that will restart the teaching of science, math, technology and engineering and also will infuse the humanities into the curriculum.
Let's hope it is not too late. We use technology for entertainment. Let's hear it for academic progress, and innovation.Let's hear it for teacher time to learn collaborative media in meaningful ways.