Davie philanthropist backs school bonds with the 'Mebane Challenge'...most of the article deals with the politics of a bond program for local schools. Buried at the bottom of the story was this tidbit:
"Barry Adams, a consultant and the Executive of the Year for Apple computers in 1992, spoke to the crowd. He helped create educational technology to meet the needs of students and teachers who use personal computers." "In 18 months time, the hottest thing on the market will be obsolete," Adams said. "Now, in everyday terms, that means if you buy the best there is to offer today, in three years you will want to upgrade."I have heard statistics like this before and have generally accepted the 18 months to 3 years as understandable with major advancements in technologies that match up with the demands of the consumer. It makes me wonder, however, if I have ever seen those figures included in the stories beneath politically-charged headlines that generally scream, "Look What We Just Spent - We Are Now State-of-the-Art". If indeed what Mr. Adams said is true, then the state-of-the-art label begins to depreciate before the ink has a chance to dry on the check that pays for the latest technology. All of that to say... strategies to beat the Dragon and conquer the digital divide may have to face the reality that conquering a Dragon this year means that there will be a new and improved Dragon to conquer in three years. If that is the reality of the situation, strategies to acquire technology, train educators, and integrate technology into the curricula must add to that, an element of depreciation and future investment in order to stay in the chase. Food for thought...