An amazing place to experience learning with technology is Brian Crosby’s class and I am would love to be there. Having worked in private industry for many years I need to ask, how do teachers passionate about technology get the hardware to create those types of classrooms for their students. In the business/private industry arena equipment is given to those who are the heaviest or most demanding users, creating an exposure to employees of new technology before making large investments in it.
Where is the educational road map of America? I really need that map because I can’t even get around in my school and district. If I want to achieve change is it, top down approach or bottom up approach that needs to be invoked? Brian Crosby, how did you create the opportunities for your classroom? Some of the answers can be found in Brian’s blog, learning is messy. Teaching in a high school computer lab that has one flat-bed scanner, a black & white laser printer, a set of speakers, and a digital projector used because the room is overcrowded by 29 large desktop computers that consume the entire room blocking the blackboards. How to you go from here to equipment?
Are there or should there in place government programs requiring specific time, effort, and mastery by teachers in return for classroom equipment? Imagine a teacher completing specific milestones receiving hardware investments to be used by the teacher in his or her classroom. This teacher equipment would be conditional on the teacher’s employment in a public school that has a minimum e-rating of 15% or greater as a starting point. Allowing for teachers in socio-economic depressed areas access to the tools they need to raise student achievement. Giving teachers that are willing and able to jump through hoops the opportunity to obtain technology on a regular basis for their classrooms. I would be thrilled if I had Brain Crosby’s technology access one day a week!
A one-to-one laptop program is a dream I don’t think I will ever see! How would students respond academically with one-to-one laptops or netbook program? I would be obsessive in finding content material appropriate for my students given the opportunity but, let’s not stop there. School districts must become more open with the filters, beginning with teacher logins. Is it crazy to want teacher network logins without filters, allowing teachers to demonstrate items that students currently cannot access like social media or streaming video? This would allow teachers in my district to use YouTube videos for instruction, and video conferencing with other parts of the world, or a homebound classmate. Heck, I was out of school for a week after surgery and I couldn’t even Skype my classroom because of the Internet filters! Yes, it is time for change.
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