The Illinois Education & Technology Conference (IETC) in Springfield is over and, once again, I'm awed by the commitment of educators to making the use of technology the norm, rather than the exception, in schools. Even though I retired from teaching full time over 4 years ago, I continue to remain active in technology and education through my participation in ICE (Illinois Computing Educators) and by presenting at ed tech conferences around the Midwest. As a result, I've become increasingly aware of the fact that too many decisions regarding educational policy are being made, either by technologists who are not educators, or by educators who don't really understand the technology and how that technology enhances student learning. One of the most engaging aspects of technology in schools today is the broad range of collaboration tools, often referred to as Web 2.0. Unfortunately, the potential for abuse of these tools and the fact that many consider them "social" in nature, causes many schools to block them via their filtering services. I believe it is time for administrators to rely on the skills and integrity of the educators they work with and remove the roadblocks to engaging, effective collaboration for both the students and the adults in their schools. Sites and services previously perceived as "social" can just as readily be re-purposed as "educational". If these administrators haven't noticed, their people are already doing this. Let's make it a little easier.
On a lighter note, I find that I receive a great deal of self-satisfaction from attending and presenting at conferences, knowing that I continue to play a role in promoting the effective uses of technology in education. Also, it's really fun just hanging out with and sharing ideas and insights with people who are making a difference in the education of children and those who educate them. I could flatter them and just be a major name-dropper, but they know who they are. Thanks, you're all part of the reason I continue to do what I do.
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1 comments:
The rush to block sites from students & teachers is one of my pet peeves! I understand the security concerns and I get it that blocking is often automatic, not a conscious choice by administrators. Filtering programs often robotically search for red-flag words like "social" and shut down the sites automatically.
But there are also humans stopping me from using web2.0 sites, purposely. Even when I've asked to unblock a site and can show legitimate usefulness of a site for classroom instruction, I've been turned down without much consideration or dialogue about it.
You're right that people who aren't educators are often running the IT departments in school systems. Our network administrators are tech-rich in their credentials/skills, but have little or no knowledge of instructional pedagogy. I thought that was why technology integrators like me were brought in and why we can be so crucial to instruction -- we can be a liaison between the world of the classroom and the world of technology... IF both sides listen to each other! Currently, it seems like an "us" vs. "them" mentality, and the security power gods are winning over the classroom users.
Continue to discuss this topic, please, and so will I. The integration of technology with instruction is a natural extension of cultural progress. Schools shouldn't fight it. They can pretend technology isn't relevant in the classroom, but students are getting left behind in the artificially tech-sterile world of the classroom.
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