"Kids are so lucky!" read the tweet. This was in response to a video link I reposted on Twitter today. The title was 'Next Generation Learning' and in the short video, an 11 year-old boy called Harry takes us on a tour of his school. In year 6, he and his classmates use interactive white boards, Wii technology, voting systems and a whole range of ICTs to support and enhance their learning. There are also links so that he and his parents can participate in the life of their school wherever they are, using Internet links and handheld technology. Here's the video:
It's not so far from the truth, and some schools in the UK are already tapping into these tools. I know. I've seen them using them. How long before all schools in the UK and elsewhere in the industrialised world adopt these tools wholesale? What is stopping them? Political issues? Teachers or headteachers reluctant to use them because they are problematic? Economic constraints? Simple fear of the unknown? All of these are reasons some schools stumble in the march forward to new ideas. But I think the most trenchant barrier to grand adoption of emerging technologies is time. Teachers quite simply don't have enough time to do anything other than survive during the working academic year. And then the holidays are spent recovering from the relentless onslaught of planning, teaching and assessment cycles. When the governments of this world stop testing and measuring everything to destruction and start seeing learning as a means to an end rather than as an outcome, then we may see some changes. Then it won't be next generation learning - it will be 'this generation learning'.
OK. End of rant. (Steps down off his soapbox).
Thursday, 11 June 2009
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8 comments:
Yes time is the main problem but not just time to plan and experiment (the main inhibitor) but also curriculum time to innovate with new methods. Timetables are so rigid and tight. Space and money (especially with tight budgets of today) are increasingly becoming a problem.
Daniel I would disagree with the issue over time, the main issue is about those leading on ICT in the primary school taking the whole staff with them. There has to be a clear vision of where the school is going and how the staff will move towards it. The curriuculum is extremely crowded as is the CPD timetbable in most schools but where it falls down in most schools is the rollercoaster experience most children have in terms of differing teacher confidence in ICT use. I also worry about schools trying to move too high in terms of practice and then depending on one pioneer or 'expert' to lead it - this is not a sustainable model as too much of the practice withers when that teacher moves on.
Steve... just checking, did you mean "start seeing learning as an outcome rather than a means to an end"?!
The means to an end I had in mind is 'Lieflong Learning'. It's not an outcome, it's a process. :-)
A wondeful video and a great rant. I agree with what you say about time. I held a teachmeet recently and the biggest barrier to anyone wanting to try out or use these tools in class was time. Although, I asked myself, if I can do it then what's stopping them?
Learning.
Time comes into it throughout but it's learning how to use these tools and then using them within the classroom for a specific purpose that stops most teachers I know from using them.
They see the use of technology as an additional constraint rather than an addition to their teaching, a tool that can create problems rather than one that can solve.
The attitudes of some teachers today is 'why use technology?'.
It's up to teachers like ourselves to demonstrate (not force) how effective its use can be towards teaching and learning.
It's a well put together video and I agree with the sentiments in your post. There are two points I have though. The first is that rather than time being the barrier, I think that it is vision by schools and their management. An aggressive change management strategy within schools would free up the time for PD and effective and efficient use of these technologies.
Secondly, I do think that there is a big disparity between the economic levels that are evident in this school and Harry's parents compared to those of large sections of the population in the UK. Even if the government ring-fenced funding so that all schools had this technology overnight, and magically all teachers became proficient in using it, do you think that this would transform education for those with lower economic backgrounds. I'm not saying that kids from those backgrounds are unable to learn or don't want to learn, nor that we shouldn't move in this direction; rather that I think that there are much more complex interactions that factor into this equation. Ultimately, a lot must come down to society evening up the life experiences for kids across the board.
This is an excellent video and great rant. I think you have hit the nail on the head, the biggest barrier to implementing all these things that make "school cool" and transform the learning opportunities for students is time. The majority of non-geeky teachers will not spend there own time experimenting with alternative technologies, thus they stay using tried and tested old techniques (which in some cases are still the best!). Until teachers are given time release to experiment technology will never be comprehensively integrated into schools (I guess a new generation of teachers may have the same impact)
There is also a high element of fear. Many teachers are control freaks, and integrating technology removes some (most?) of the control. Particularly when the students know more than the teachers. I love it when that happens and I learn from the kids!
What a great video. It doesn't happen overnight - it's very much 'huge step/small step' kind of scenario.
I'm lucky to have a principal who is happy for me to embark on an ambitious e-learning journey with my class - as long as the students are learning/motivated/inspired/teaching!
Jo Fothergill
Room 10 - Raumati Beach School (NZ)
http://room10rbs.edublogs.org
http://dragonsinger.edublogs.org
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