This weeks reading, "Becoming Literate in the Information Age: Cultural Ecologies and the Literacies of Technology." by Hawishe and Selfe, while long, was interesting to read. In comparing it to last weeks reading, "'You Won't Be Needing Your Laptops Today': Wired Bodies in the Wireless Classroom" by Kevin M. Leander I was struck by how Leander was studying the decision of whether or not laptops should be allowed in the classroom and Hawishe and Selfe were studying, in essence, the lack of computer literacy education that is available in the classroom.
Maybe the question we should be asking isn't "should laptops be allowed in the classroom", instead it should be, "how do we educate the children of today on the technologies of tomorrow."
The more comfortable we as a society can make our youth with technology, the more in dividends it pays off for their generation, and for our communities as a whole. However, per Hawishe and Selfe most of the students who are comfortable with technology learned how to use it at home. Which leaves a large number of children at a serious disadvantage. Case in point, my son who is ten has had access to a computer his entire life. The reason for that is because I have, since 1992, always had a computer. He is far more adept with technology than I was at his age simply because he has always been around it. Now, compare my son to any one of the millions of children living in poverty. Those children are living in homes that cannot afford the expense of a computer. If they are lucky, they live near a local library or community center where computers are available, however, as is often the case, the staff in a public library or community center is ill-equipped to teach anything beyond the most basic computer skills.
How do we get all students on a level playing field? That is the million dollar question. With the gridlock in our congress today where conservatives want unrealistic spending caps/cuts on everything except the military, I do not know. In my honest opinion, I feel that our national priorities are askew. Instead of concentrating on doing what is best for our nation, and our children, our leaders play political games to score temporary victories for their respective political party. While our schools crumble and our children fall further behind the rest of the world.
This is definitely a critical question that needs to be addressed and something that deserves more focus.
ReplyDeleteWell said. Your second paragraph, was right on the mark. As well as your comments, about students all over the place with access to technology. It is something we have not addressed, and like you I feel it is a national agenda.
ReplyDeleteWe are no longer leaders in the technology field and we are not working on this. The ramifications are widening the gap between the 'haves and have nots' is getting larger and larger. Will we ever be able to catch up?
I agree with Amy that your 2nd paragraph is right on target! And it requires people to "think before we tech" because uses and purposes of technologies evolve.
ReplyDeleteI feel spoiled at a laptop campus because I don't have to worry about the access issue, but even still, students come in not knowing how to navigate D2L or extend their ideas beyond a Facebook status update. And that's why tried and true writing/reading exercises come in, with the Word DOC or discussion forum only serving as a quicker medium to get those ideas down on the page.
Maybe the question we should be asking isn't "should laptops be allowed in the classroom", instead it should be, "how do we educate the children of today on the technologies of tomorrow."
ReplyDeleteI liked this statement because it rings true in my mind. Technology is always changing which means children also need to change with it. An example I can think of is the apreso recording system here at Stout. Students have to become used to being recorded in classes because of this new technology. I think that it would be beneficial to allow younger students in high school to use this technology or at least be briefed on how it works so that they understand its uses when they are presented with the new technology.
I agree with the need to close the gap with the haves and have-nots in regards to technology. However there is a much larger issue here. Poor children lack access to most things--health care and education are tow biggies.
ReplyDeleteOprah has been exposing the "education" that many of our students are getting. It's heartbreaking.
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Shocking-State-of-Our-Schools/1
Kelly, I could not agree more. I know here in Wisconsin the issue of how to fund schools is always been a hot button issue. Currently most of the funding comes from property taxes...with spending caps in place if a school district needs additional money, it has to hold a referendum on the additional spending so that taxes can be raised. Not a lot of people will vote to raise their own taxes. It is not only the funding for education that suffers, our education infrastructure is also suffering. Buildings are falling apart and are in dire need of maintenance. But where does the money come from? Who is going to pay for new school buildings?
ReplyDeleteAs for health care...I could write a lengthy response to that one item. The simple answer is that the United States needs to go to a single payer system. However, with cries on the right of socialism, and socialized medicine, which a single payer system is not, it is doubtful we will ever see meaningful health care reform.