Before Nov 23, Please read the article "Parents: Focus more on 21st-century skills Schools must do more to prepare students for information-age careers, say respondents to a national ed-tech survey" at http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=61504
In your blog comment address the following questions.
Were you surprised with the survey and article?
What is one way you can learn what your students' parents are expecting?
Of course you can add anything else you wish and you are encouraged to read and comment on your colleagues' comments.
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"Parents are largely dissatisfied with the technology skills their children are learning in schools."
ReplyDeleteThis is something I don't really understand. What kind of technology are kids supposed to be learning...other than about computers, typing, how to use a phone, dvd players, tvs, various media devices, and other such small and trivial things. Most of these items kids already know how to use as well, if not a little better than, most adults. Have you ever tried to figure out how to do some complicated thing on a cell phone and handed it over to the 10 year old? I know people who have. Most of the items kids are not allowed to use in school due to privacy rules (camera phones) and lack of attention problems (cell phones and IPods!). Kids know how to use a large amount of mechanical items and tools located at school and in the home. Certain programs, like most of Microsoft Office, kids won't use unless it's for presentations, writing emails, or making webpages. It's an as needed type of situation.
Another problem is how can a school teach a child to fully incorporate him/herself with technology if there isn't the budget for it? A school with a small amount of computers can't do squat. Also, children who don't use computers and etc at home won't be living in the place which has computers at school (poverty area schools). Either raise the budget for school technology teaching (and computers for all) or don't complain about it.
I too am left scratching my head. I am curious (as all people with the name George are) as to what we are to be teaching our students, in terms of computers and technology. One would be naive to think they are not getting inundated with technology out side the classroom. I would like to think that the parent quoted in the article is referring to technology classes, though many at least locally seem to be offering such classes, all be it as electives, but never the less offered. Maybe the question should be posed - is there a need to have technology classes as a requirement? As far as I can tell this does make some sense, though as Diana said the limiting factor is money, and as the saying goes... money talks and BS walks.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find curious about the article are those that published the survey. What do I mean? Blackboard Inc is the company that we know of as www.blackboard.com publicly traded under BBBB (and near an all time high). Is that at all surprising? Not really. One of only two sectors in the economy has added jobs in this recession and education is one. Stimulus money is pouring into education and so long as taxes are paid educational spending will continue (though this too will slow and budgets will get cut). BBBB is well positioned considering the circumstance. Furthermore think about the barriers of entry into this business, branding is worth its weight in gold, just look at Google. It is no surprise they would conduct a survey that lead to these findings.
As far as the second, Project Tomorrow, look no further then the investors, would you be surprised to find that BBBB is one of them, and not only that one of the largest. Look at some of the others: Best Buy, Apple, CDW, Discovery, Intel, Emulex, KI Education, Morrison & Foerster, PASCO Scientific, Pipeline Software, Plasticolor Molded Products, SMART Technologies. The list includes software, hardware, furniture, services and no list is complete without lawyers (Morrison & Foerster ). As a side note I had a client that was an attorney for the company above that did patent protection for technology companies, it’s a lucrative business. Could there be a slight conflict of interest given these investors will be directly benefited by the addition on technology in the classroom? For fairness there are many others that donate to the non-profit and it is a 501c3. While there are some that give intrinsically there are others that directly benefit from studies such as these.
Don't get me wrong I too think we need to do more, but at what cost? Where does the spending stop? Instead of SMART boards at a cost of 1,000 per board could that money be better spent? How about new textbooks or expanding more after school programs? Before we expand our technology budget are there more prudent ways to spend money, I would argue there are.
I was very surprised by parents reaction to students usage of technology in schools. I think that teachers use to the best of their ability the technology they have. I think students are very technologically savvy. I do not think that technology is the best way to improve education. I think well trained teachers are. I do think technology can be a useful tool when used correctly. I really don’t understand why in the article they talk about interactive whiteboards and projectors. How are putting those things in a classroom going to make the student better at using technology? The teachers will be using those things most of the time. I also think that parents are not in school and so don’t see what is being done. Also technology projects are usually done in school and never taken home so parents don’t see the results of the teaching with technology that does occur.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, my opinion is completely based on my experiences and what I have seen. I am sure there are many schools and classrooms where technology is not used enough and the students are not being prepared the way they should be.
I think one way I could learn parental expectations is to send home a survey of different skills students need to learn and ask parents which skills they believe to be the most important. Also just asking parents what they would like their students to have more exposure to at parent-teacher conferences could be beneficial and open up communication.
I am somewhat, not surprised at the survey results. In my school, we rarely spend time in the computer labs and the most rich technology present is what the teacher does with the SMARTBoard. We don't educate students in how to use technology themselves. Many of them struggle with word processing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kim that students are technologically savvy, but I think they need more opportunities to use that interest they have to express themselves at school ie assignements, projects etc. I think it would help them to be more engaged and motivated. When we give students opportunities to show knowledge and understanding in technologically rich ways, they tend to get excited and think it is a fun assignment.
I like Kim's suggestion to send home surveys. It would be nice to see what parents thought would be a good skill in technology for their children to have.
I am not surprised by the article at all. I agree whole heartedly that technology usage in schools is completely disconnected from the 21st century world that kids live in, but I think a great deal of what is done in the public education system is disconnected from the real world... the age old argument of the ivory tower. Yet I also agree with George. He makes really good points about the hidden agendas of this so called "objective" research. Of course it benefits the tech companies to illustrate that parents want more technology in schools, and better technology education, I concur. But to fold back on my first statements, I also see the problem Dominique sees, that technology use is not being taught but passively instrumented by teachers, and that students need more opportunities to integrate technology directly into their content learning.
ReplyDeleteI see this divide very explicitly in art education - the k-12 curriculum seems lightyears behind, floating in some liminal space outside time, disconnected from how integrated technology has become in the fine arts. Students are still taught through the lens of traditional disciplinary boundaries (sculpture, painting, drawing etc) and computer art is taught, if at all, as an elective, as if the use of technology is somehow completely separate from the world of art and design.
Dazed and confused. How much more technology should we be teaching the kids. I can tell you more kids know more about technology then I do.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it that parents really want? What is it that they want us to teach their children about technology?
However, I must say I agree with George (must be the surname thing) that we shouldn't be spending so much money on Smart Boards etc....Schools need updated textbooks, new science supplies etc.
I know everyone gets so tired of hearing about South, but honestly there are two smart boards in the biology dept. One teachers uses it everyday, the other teacher hardly ever uses it. So why have it??
More teachers would have liked to have animals for dissections, new glassware, but the budget does not allow it.
Then again, I completely agree with Dominique, that technology is being used as a passive tool by teachers. hhmmmm I guess we are in quite the pickle.
Was I surprised by this article? Not really. You can't make everyone happy, especially when it comes to students and parents. The students just want us to let them play on the computer more. I try giving computer assignments and as soon as they get on the computer, zoom, they are off doing 15 other things that have nothing to do with the assignment. And, parents.... I don't think they even know what they want.
ReplyDeleteBoth, the parents and students, need to realize that they need to learn the core curriculum: reading/writing, math, science, social studies, history, etc. These will benefit them in college and in the work place. And, what exactly do they expect us to teach them? If they want a good job that is going to use technology, then they need to go to college. And that's what high school is for... to prepare them for college.
I'll say we can teach students how to better use software such as, word, excel and powerpoint. But, unfortunately, we don't have access to the computers and softwares that the fast food chains use for the students not going to college. Maybe, teach them how to use a wetvac? Or, is there an electronic broom? How to change paper towels for a motion sensored paper towel dispenser? What kind of technology are we really expected to teach them? They already know how to use a cell phone and the internet.... Using a cell phone to keep track of meetings and e-mails for work assignments is a must have in today's workplace. Maybe when we assign homework we should have the students put it into their cell phones.
In order to find out what the parents and students want we should make them fill out surveys. Fill out one in the beginning of the year, or even before the school year starts ("What technology do you want to learn?") Then, make them fill out another one after every p/t conference and/or after every semester. Get feedback from how the semester went and how we can improve. Yeah, we didn't teach your kid what you wanted them to learn, but help us teach the next kid(s).
Let's just ask them to be realistic and make a deal.... Learn how to solve a two-step equation in algebra 1/2 and I'll teach you how to... Wait, what do they want again?!
Very nice comments form all of you, by the way. I agree with so many of your arguments. I do question the results as George does. I think many times there is a motive behind a survey and being a cynic by nature, I don't trust many statistics of this sort. I would like to know more about who was surveyed and how the questions were asked.
ReplyDeleteBut, a bigger concern for me is not technology, but fundamentals. My impression from working with students this year is that they are very technologically advanced. We are working on PowerPoint presentations this week to present an element report from the Periodic Table. The students' products make some of ours look amature. However, the students have a hard time writing a complete sentence. They don't have a strong work ethic. Most of them have a hard time reading for comprehension. In other words, if you ask them to handle a task that involves the latest technology, they excel, but their use of written and verbal language leaves something to be desired.
I think an influx of money into education and technology is a nice way to entice students to be interested in learning. And, sure, we all need to prepare our children for the job market. However, if they can't read and write at a higher level, all of the technology in the world will be a waste of time. I also think that the caliber of work that students are allowed to hand in is of concern. Parents should be concerned about schools that set the bar so low and allow students to turn in sub-par work. Teachers are afraid of having high expectations for students and accept misspelled words, messy handwriting, half finished thoughts. I think you can throw a fortune at a school system and have the latest and greatest, but if your expectations for the students fall short, so will their performance. Caring parents that value education and teachers that are dedicated and talented at teaching must be at the core of any educational program. You can't just throw money and/or technology at a child and expect them to be ready to compete in the adult job force. You also can't wish away the problems inherent in our society. The fact that kids are ready for the job market is a mult-faceted problem and will require a bigger fix than putting computers in their classroom.
Wow you guys' comments are long! Ha! I really am not surprised with the results. Maybe if I was in a school with top notch technology, I might be surprised, but the reality is that most schools are severely lacking in technology. Especially in those where the kids need it most (because they don't have access to it at home) - i.e. "inner city" urban schools. I know that in my classroom/school I would love to have more access to computers - however because it is a pain to set up going to the library for a lab...it makes it hard to initiate. While we ASSUME that kids are learning the technology tools necessary for the 21st Century workforce...I am not so convinced. Especially those who need them most.
ReplyDeleteI agree with pretty much everyone else and was not surprised by this article. I think a majority of the difference between what parents and educators see is how the technology is delivered. If a parent asks their kid what they learned they will talke about the subject or the lesson. However, a lot of times the technology lesson was within a larger lesson. The technology learning was an extention of something else. So from the parents perspective they may think the technology isn't being addressed because it wasn't directly taught.
ReplyDeleteI also think part of the issue is with availability. I am assisting in a school that has the one-for-one laptop program. A teacher can give lessons or assignments that require more than the time in class. Most schools don't have this option. This handcuffs them in the amount of things they can teach that require technology.
I think there is one easy way to learn what the parents are expecting: listen to them. Now you can't call every parent but you need to pay attention when the information presents itself.
Kids today do not necessarily need to be exposed to technology in the classroom that the article suggests. Outside of the class, in the "real world" there is a constant bombardement of technology in things as everyday as video game systems. When a 6th grader can figure out the problem on a computer faster than the adult being paid to fix it, there is an obvious gap in the learning curve. Although it would be nice to have things like smart boards in every classroom, it isn't always possible. Some districts cannot afford, or even have the tax base, to invest in expensive equipment. This is especially true when the technology itself can change and adapt so quickly. Keeping up with the pass can be an impossible task. Those lower income areas that are in greater need of exposure and equipment are often the ones that are short changed.
ReplyDeleteI again make the point that technology is a very important tool, but not a core subject (like Math). I feel schools are doing a much better job than the article reports. As a parent I am totally frustrated that my Westside 11th and 8th grader would always be on their laptop if allowed, and they say it's all for school. I think there is a negative component to the amount that the Westside superior technology has overtaken their teen lives. Adolescence is the key time to learn many things, not just technology. A little "balance" would be greatly appreciated. Carol
ReplyDeleteHi guys! I love everyone's comments so far. It seems to me that there is a big gap between schools which are incorporating tons of technology and those which are hardly able to afford technological resources. That gap can even been seen here in Nebraska. It's the difference between Westside, where every student gets a laptop, and Central, where Kelly says that "top notch" technology is lacking. With that in mind, I don't really find the results that surprising at all.
ReplyDeleteAll the same, I do agree with Leslee and George that we ought to be cautious with the survey iteself. Is this non-profit organization, Project Tomorrow, slightly biased in their questioning methods? I think there is reason to believe so. I looked at the Project Tomorrow website. It's not exactly a neutral, 3rd party source. In fact, it's supported by companies like Blackboard and SmartTechnologies. On one of the pages, viewers are encouraged to contact the Project Tomorrow staff in order to get help in writing "a case statement, using the Speak Up data, highlighting the benefits of investing in technology."
Technology is certainly a useful thing which we should strive to incorporate in teaching. Whether or not we are already reaching that goal is best judged on a school by school basis.
I suppose I'm a little surprised, considering how much information is out there about the technology available. I suppose it depends on what school district you are in, as Jennifer wrote.
ReplyDeleteHowever, surveys are inaccurate things, so I'm not entirely sure how much hay to make out of this.
I believe that the school system evolves to meet the demands of society, and technology is one component of this. We are teaching some skills, like typing, but other skills the students will often learn on their own.
Our endeavors should really be towards those who can't learn these techological tools on their own. Many students at RHS don't have home computers, which puts them at a distinct disadvantage with more affluent students. Thus, technological choices must be made district by district.
The statistics seem similar to all parent/educator surveys. It always seems like parents think the teacher is underqualified and lacking important real world skills and educators generally think they are doing a good job. I believe before teaching students specific technolgical skills we must first teach them the skill of independant learning. From there kids will focus on topics that interest them (maybe computers). However, it should be the administrations goal to be technolgically advanced, and use technology as a tool to learn but not a specific focus.
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