What's Ahead in Ed Tech
Article Author: Victor Rivero
Article Critique: Gay Jewell Love
The author discusses 6 pressing issues that affect future technology use in the schools. Most school boards cannot afford to purchase technology devices for every student; therefore Jim Hirsch recommends school boards consider enabling their school networks to be compatible with students’ personally owned technology devices. Bob Moore states that learning how to measure and communicate the value of educational technology should be a priority for school systems. Milton Chen compares individual textbook copies to individual technology devices, thus recommending that school boards continuously provide each student and teacher with individual technology devices. Mark Gura discusses the need for content area instructional specialists to take an active role in supporting and promoting technology for the schools. He feels that all school district technology plans should focus on classroom applications, starting with the teachers daily planning of instruction. Marina Leight supports the importance of budget allocation for technology and professional development in the schools.
This article does an excellence job of pointing out not just some of the technology challenges, but also some solutions. I often hear from education interns and classroom teachers about their frustrations with not enough working computers, digital cameras and video cameras for use in the schools. Jim Hirsch’s suggestion for the schools to allow some students to provide their own equipment would alleviate this situation. If the equipment is readily available then teachers, interns and students would use it more often. Many parents currently provide calculators for their children, thus making it less of a financial burden on the school systems. Perhaps it would be similar with other forms of technology devices. Teachers would also greatly benefit from more professional development opportunities to increase their comfort level with technology. Seeing it modeled by their school principals and content supervisors would send the message of its importance to the schools. As teachers become more comfortable using technology devices they will use them more often in the classroom and ultimately the students will receive a better education.
Rivero,Victor. (2006, January 1). What’s ahead in ed tech. American School Board
Journal, Retrieved