Chasing the Dragon's Tale

It had to happen sooner or later. One of my fan club (of four) asked when I would start blogging again. I have no excuse. There is much going on and I need to jump in an play with the social media tools that we are experimenting with in the classroom.

I am a bit weary of the gloom-and-doom coming from the print industry although I sympathize with so many great people who have been displaced by this century's declines. This is an exciting time for entrepreneurial journalism. Delivery systems are evolving every day now and there are opportunities for critical thinkers to meet and match market demands with relatively low start-up costs. New business models are bound to evolve around changing patterns of users and advertisers...those conversations are happening already.

We are at an odd time when it comes to generational expectations for the delivery of news and information. I hear more and more often that experienced, print journalists are re-learning to play and experiment with new media. I encourage that mix of maturity and child-like curiosity from both older and younger generations...and I have to admit some disbelief that resistance to 'play' may be greater among the young. We all have learning to do. We all need to take a more active role and more responsibility for our own, personal learning.

I am back. I am learning. Let's talk!

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 07:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So many incredible events filled the last 10 days that I will not attempt to post a synopsis now. Leave it to say that the Reporting from Honduras blog was a great success and that we all learned more than we bargained for. There were days that included real adventure. There were days that it was tough to maintain composure. There were days that felt truly rewarding.

Our primary Honduran connection to the rest of the world came from a small room adjacent a residence that had a satellite hook-up to the Internet. I had wondered how well that worked and now with some experience under my belt, feel that there is a lot of potential for connecting isolated villages with the rest of the world, particularly schools. I am sensing that is time to start a grant-writing adventure.

Many thanks to all of you who stopped by here and then hopped over to the Honduras blog...it feels good to be back home.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Irregular and undependable electrical power sources for personal computer use plague many parts of the world and hamper connectivity. The use of automobile batteries, solar cells, and hand cranking mechanisms for short term power made news in 2005. HCL Infosystems in India has announced a February 2006 release of a pedal device that allows the user to make the computer truly personal by generating electricity from a bicycle-type generation system to charge a battery.

Now if the Gazelle dude on the infomercial could make this look like fun, the Indians may be on to something...otherwise, I have Fred Flintstone images of how one would look using this thing...but I really like the idea of Calories per Gigabyte *smile*

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Moodle and I are just getting to know each other a little better, so Macquarie University's LAMS announcement and Moodle integration caught my attention:

According to the university, this announcement signals the birth of "open source teaching", as the LAMS Community encourages the sharing of digital lesson plans under open content licences, like Creative Commons. It will let teachers find digital lessons plans that are freely available to use and adapt, and they can share their own creations and adaptations to the benefit of all education.

The LAMS (Learning Activity Management System) Community is based on the open source ".LRN" community platform developed at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). LAMS leader, Macquarie University's Professor James Dalziel, said the LAMS Community is central to the strategy of empowering teachers to transform education using "the revolutionary, digital lesson planning approach offered by LAMS".

Here is some of the ongoing conversation:
• Loomware thinks it is worth watching
• FREPA.BLOG speaks of the LAMS Community and speaks to a change of emphasis from content to interaction and learning processes.
• Peter Karlsbers debattsidor thinks it is an interesting initiative to study.
• Leigh at Teach and Learn Online offers mixed reviews following his challenge with the installation
• Contacts at Macquarie can be found here.

Continue reading "Open source teaching - LAMS launch down under" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reports like "$100 Laptop Close To Reality" started hitting my Google News feed a few days ago. Instead of jumping into the race to be early in posting this story, I decided to sit back and observer the various responses that showed up in other blogs. Keep in mind, that the original story focused on Professor Negroponte's announcement that a $100 laptop intended primarily for disadvantaged nations, would soon be a reality.

Here are some of the stories that have included references (snips) to this story in just the last 12 hours:
• Dvorak Uncensored and Eideard : "It’s also designed to look and be utilitarian — instead of a fashion statement — which may hinder acceptance here in the States."
• DrAlb: "The implications for teacher education are significant...within a very few years, the cost of providing computers for every student will be effectively negligible and students currently preparing to be teachers may face a very different educational environment on graduation than existed when they left school or they experienced in their teacher education.
• Future Fast:"...has an AC adaptor for places where there is electricity and a hand crank for places without electricity (Hey, that would be nice on my laptop now!!)"

Continue reading "MIT's $100 wind-up laptop and the response across the blogosphere" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Yes, this is another post about bloggers who blog about blogging, but the Scholastic Adminstr@tor: Plugged In article points to an interesting communication aspect for education administrators that warrants consideration. We frequently pose the question, "How can we best communicate with our students?"...knowing in advance that there isn't one "best" way, one silver bullet, that works consistently. What we do have available electronically, are multiple options including email, list-serves, discussion boards, and web sites...and blogs seem to be gaining some ground into the communication arsenal. Personally, I like Michael Lach's concept of just letting people know what's on his mind:

One reason is that Michael Lach (the Director of Science for the Chicago Public Schools) like many others who have created blogs, is simply trying to explain a hidden part of the education system. "I do this to make it clearer about what large urban school system bureaucrats do," says Lach. "When I was a teacher, I always wanted to know what people in my position were thinking. I believe strongly that by engaging in a dialogue we collectively deepen our understanding and our practice."

A wag of the tale to Joanne Jacobs for blogging this story first.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Overcoming the infrastructure, access, and training challenges to technology, particularly internet access, has been a fairly common theme for me over the last several months...for the most part, observing the struggles of developing nations in Africa and the South Pacific. With Katrina, the tables have been turned ever so slightly (at least temporarily) and there are hundreds of technically savy individuals (by global standards) scattered over several hundred square miles along the coast who find themselves disconnected from the rest of the world.

Community Network Technology (CNT), an Illinois non-profit organization, arrived in the coastal region yesterday to begin installations of Wi-Fi infrastructure to assist first responders and evacuees. CNT already has a few images online and they are blogging their venture here. On a recent post, some of their objectives for Gulfport were explained:

"We’re going to try to get them 10 VoIP phones per shelter, and 2-5 laptops or PCs per. We’re going to need at least ten mesh nodes, but I’m awaiting details on the topology. And the whole thing could be scuttled if we can’t get a backhaul link to the Internet somewhere. WISPs are out of the question ’cause they lost all their towers. Hopefully they have a T1 or DS3 or something live in a city facility. Cross your fingers."

There are tons of 'what-ifs' that they are already facing, but I love the entrepreneurial and humanitarian spirit of this team of technologists...it is a microcosm of what many developing nations face, with the exception that most nations are without as many resources. I am hoping they have a videographer with them, I can envision any number of great stories coming out of this.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There is cause for singing...Middle schoolers and some 9th and 10th graders across the state of Maine will benefit further from Maine's laptop initiative with free, that's right: Free home Internet access. Even though this story broke a few weeks ago, I post this new turn of events in the interest of fair play from an earlier, more cynical post regarding Maine's laptop program.

Perhaps I am mellowing, but the concept of getting a computer into a child's lap with an equal level of Internet access for each child in his/her class/grade sounds a lot more like a level playing field. By this time next year we may be hearing a parody of My Fair Lady's "Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man"...including the lyrics, "Why can't A-merica be More Like (a)Maine" (I have no idea where this musical theatre theme came from this morning, but humor me, ok?). I do not know all of the details, but I hope that teachers are included in Maine's free home access deal...my guess is, there are more digital imigrants in Maine's teaching ranks than there are digital natives. ... paraphrasing Eliza, "In Hanover, Hampton, and Houlton handheld helpers, handily happen".

*smile*

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Every so often, my news feeds pull a community newspaper article about schools focusing on technology. If I had to generalize, most of these articles bemoan spending cuts, unfunded mandates, and challenges of making sense of technology in the classroom. It does my heart good to see a school system say that teachers are equally important in making technology happen. From the maysville-online.com article (Maysville, KY), Bonnie DeAtley, the district technology coordinator at Fleming County had this to say :

"We have a really good staff and they attend training every month to keep on top of new developments. One challenge for incorporating technology into the classroom is helping veteran teachers adjust. Our kids are growing up with (computers); our teachers didn't".

There have been numerous discussions over the differences between digital native and digital immigrants...with the implication that the digtal native are much more atuned to technology than their digital immigrant counterparts. As more digital immigrants become more technologically savy, isn't there a need for a new category of the digitally naturalized? It just seems to me like the gray area between the natives and the immigrants can be bridged via something other than birthdays and obituaries.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 08:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

A few weeks ago, the St. Petersburg Times published an article on Russia's desire to shift their export-base from natural resources to more information technology based exports. There are some startling trends within Russia that should be eye-opening to the developed world, lest we find ourselves in a similar situation a quarter century from now.

A university professor typically earns $250 per month, said Vladimir Tikhomirov, rector at Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Information. To draw qualified IT specialists away from jobs in industry, he said, universities must offer at least $4,000 per month.

Luring young professionals to a teaching career with promises of a $2,000 monthly salary by the time they are in their forties is not going to work, Tikhomirov said.

Doesn't that just make you eager to run out and get your passport and visa so you can teach in Russia? It should also make us wonder what it will take to get the best and brightest into US universities as the current generation of IT professors retire and the resource pools we must draw from are highly paid IT professionals.

Continue reading "Not running off to Russia to teach IT anytime soon" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 07:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Parents are an often overlooked variable in most plans for integrating educational technology into classrooms. Informed Insight: Parental Attitudes toward Technology, from the February issue of Techlearning, explores parental attitudes toward the Internet, educational technology, and computers in general. The details of the research are worthy of additional study.

"Presently we know almost nothing about parent attitudes toward their children's use of technology in their school. This gap in knowledge about parent attitudes needs to be closed. In this study we answer the question "What are the attitudes of parents toward technology and the role schools can play in furthering the computer literacy of their children?"

Just so I am clear on this, parents as tax payers ARE involved in educational technology...the broader question is awareness and benefits/challenges of parental engagement.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 06:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

It is premature to celebrate the success of Michigan's laptop program for teachers, however, the "Laptops help prepare future educators" article from Wayne State University offers more promise than many programs that I have ranted about here on CTDT.

The program includes what I consider all of the following essential elements:
• a laptop for each prospective teacher in the program (even if it is a Mac)
• software
• remote Internet access
• Web-based professional development

Perhaps the most encouraging read from the article is the following:

"...the addition of the iBooks has not only been educational for the students, but also the (university)faculty. Faculty are willing to take risks and even ask the students for help if they don't know how to do something,”
Dr. Mary Waker, curriculum support Center director in the College of Education

I will be watching for research studies that follow this particular program. This may be the best that I have seen in higher education.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It is disturbing to me when the race card pops up into arguments and debates, particularly when it is used to stereotype the South. There are rational minds amongst us southerners, and I am encouraged when those voices are raised about the clutter of political hubbub. One case in point from the OpEd page of the Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Digital economy no place for racism:

At the end of the day technology and the Internet are the great equalizers of our century. We as a community have the opportunity to tell the world that we view bandwidth as a resource to help drive our success and that we are willing to enable all citizens with affordable solutions to participate in an environment which doesn't possess racial or geographic boundaries. LUS' plan has nothing to do with government subsidization for the poor and everything to do with the residents of Lafayette creating opportunities by maximizing our existing infrastructure that other communities can only dream about.

I am not so naive to believe that everyone's motives are as pure, but I find this entrepreneurial spirit to be far more transparent than black vs. white.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 06:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The debate over whether Wi-Fi delivery should remain in the hands of corporate america or whether it should move toward public utility status is heating up. New York Gets Wired provides a sample of the kind of rhetoric that will be slung across the political aisles in municipal, state, and federal legislative chambers. One of the points that NYC Public Advocate candidate, Andrew Rasiej, makes is that the children of some parts of NYC are falling behind other coutries:

“Today most students in our public schools can only get access to a computer for one measly hour a week. That explains why kids in South Korea have better and faster access to the U.S. library of Congress online than kids in the South Bronx”

Rasiej also makes an interesting case in the name of public safety that I had not seen before.

I am not compltely ready to weigh in on this debate, in part because I feel certain that a one-size-fits-all solution does not apply universally across the US. Some municipalities are better equipped to handle the challenges of delivering Wi-Fi than others. Partnerships between business and municipalities need to be better explored rather than jumping into a new, unfamiliar utility system. There are a number of possibilities for rational minds to explore...but instead, I fully expect a red vs blue debate to ensue with students becoming the pawns of the game.

Nonetheless, I want my Wi-Fi!

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bringing technology to remote villages across the planet is a challenge and Bridging the Digital Divide in Cambodia explains many of those challenges better than any report I have seen. I find the entrepreneurial spirit of the group who supports this an encouraging sign that business and education may find better solutions to tackling the Digital Divide than governmental bureaucracies. The article closes with a quote from Bernard Krisher, Chairman American Assistance for Cambodia/Japan Relief for Cambodia:

Some critics have chided us for bringing computers and the Internet to such a poor, remote, backward village when the people there primarily need more food, clothing and health care. My answer is "why not both?"

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:20 AM | Permalink

I have seen predictions of cheap, disposable computes before...so here's the latest via an article in The Times of India , "Bridge digital divide @ Rs 10,000" (that's roughly USD235), about a new PC that is touted to make computer ownership "within the reach of virtually everyone".

It was the "within the reach of virtually everyone" statement that caught my attention. What is the magic dollar figure that will make PC ownership so attractive that "virtually everyone" will be able to run out and buy one...and repeat that process every 2-4 years so that their PC doesn't turn into a paper weight? (By the by, that is NOT something I advocate, but it is a reflection of where we are today.) From looking at the long lines at cellular phone stores, one might conclude that $100-$200 range might get computers into the 'disposable' or 'price competition' range of ubiquitous electronic devices...if so, the XenITis machine is getting close.

Getting back to the "virtually everyone" comment...if computers become affordable for the masses, will there be a need (or as much a need) for federal dollars to support educational technology? Would professional organizations/lobbies still exist to support educators and education administrators?

Lest we get our hopes up that ubiquitous computing means the same thing around the globe, another article regarding India, "Bridging the digital divide in Mumbait", looks at the use of automotive batteries to power computers in remote areas of the country. When is the last time you combined the thought of 'computer'and 'batteries not included'?

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:30 AM | Permalink

Two articles caught my attention today, both of which are bemoaning reduced levels of funding for educational technology...but there is an undercurrent to these stories that I would like to explore. The L.A. LAUSD skimps on PCs for kids story included the following:

"...states are shifting money from instructional computers to administrative software that tracks data such as student test scores (my emphasis). Educators must use the data to identify practices that improve student performance.

"This is a very interesting shift," said Kevin Bushweller, project editor for Technology Counts 2005.

The same federal leaders who have created the No Child Left Behind law and have backed the push toward data-driven instruction have questioned whether classroom technology has really improved student learning, officials said.

"They say weighing the pig doesn't make it any fatter. You have to do something with it," said Jim Lanich, president of California Business for Education Excellence, a Sacramento-based nonprofit group. "You have to tie it to best practices."

The second article comes from Mississippi, The State spends least on educational technology in U.S. with a similar emphasis on the shift of funding from the student use of computers to instructor use of computers for tracking:

"Technology is an important part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act's reporting requirements and student achievement goals, so states have been forced to spend more money in that area.

Rucker (Susan Rucker, executive to the state superintendent in the Office of Instructional Programs and Services) said despite the lack of state funds, Mississippi is not lagging behind others in technology. The state is working on several initiatives for education technology, including providing online professional development courses and a statewide progress-monitoring program.

Mississippi was the sixth state in the U.S. whose NCLB plan was approved, mainly because officials used computer-driven student tracking information (my emphasis).

Here is my dilemma: I am really over the sense of betrayal that I felt originally when cuts to federal educational technology funds were proposed...I believe that part of that decision was based upon the lack of information pointing to gains in learning with more instructional technology (i.e. computers in the classroom, actual implementaion, etc.). On the other hand, I know that many teachers have struggled with the 'what-do-I-do-with-it-now-that-I've-got it question'... so, the idea that teachers will gain experience in computer use for tracking, assessments, and reporting is not all bad news. Personal computing IS about what can the technology do for me (i.e. teachers). As more and more teachers receive hands on access to computers and discover that there are significant benefits to working smarter and not harder, THEN, perhaps a greater understanding and transferal of that concept can happen on the student side. In an odd sort of twist in this thinking, perhaps more self-assessment by students is in order...and won't each student need access to a computer in order to be able to do those assessments faster, smarter, and with better collaboration? (insert *evil grin* here)...ok, so maybe I haven't gotten over the idea that fewer students will have easy access to computers in the classroom, someone is busy using it to weigh the pig rather than improving it.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 11:00 AM | Permalink

I am pretty certain that tech support people on college campuses all have their stories about really smart people who struggle with basic computer tasks...I'll not pick on the Ph.D's, but they seem to be the most likely to ask, "Can you copy the Internet onto this disk for me?" Anyway, here is a real story, Kids Tech Day, that includes the following quote:

She may only be in the fourth grade, but Sierra Mumford is the computer expert in her family. "When (my parents) mess something up on their computer, I have to fix it," said Sierra, a student at the Alexander Denbo Elementary School in Pemberton Township.

I see this as a good sign...and I realize that I do not have much data to back this up, but I sense an ever growing pattern in generational adoption that includes an accepted/expected role reversal of older generations actually approaching younger generations for help when it comes to computers. In the digital native vs digital immigrant discussion, I see younger generations starting to share technology forward to older generations rather than claiming it as an icon of rebellion again their seniors. Check this out: what happens to a grandparent armed with an Ipod.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:21 AM | Permalink

More research seems to be pointing to the importance of personal access to the Internet at home. A UCSC study, "The digital divide project" is the latest that crossed my desk:

Robert Fairlie, associate professor of economics at UCSC, and his research team included the following in their findings: "...20 million children in the United States, or 26 percent of children, have no computer access at home, which could contribute to the nation's persistent racial disparities in access to computer technology--the so-called "digital divide,".

The team documented a 6 percent to 8 percent increase in the high school graduation rate of youth in homes with computers. Other positive impacts include a lower rate of school suspensions and overall higher grade-point averages among students in homes with computers.

The article includes a number of references to racial divides associated with broadband access that look much like the Pew Internet & American Life studies.

Whether it is socio-economic status, or cultural/racial attitudes, or education levels of the homes involved ...my insticts tell me that there will always be difference in acceptance and diffusion among different population segments. Is there more to this? Let's assume that broadband access reaches near saturation in american households...does that mean that graduation rates and grade point averages will increase across the board? Where does the actual use/application of the technology come into play? Where does the training come from (or is it needed) to move individuals quickly past newbie status?

This is still a technology chase...let no one fool you into thinking that the Digital Divide is one dimentional.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 04:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Rob Reynolds from Xplanazine shares insightful commentary in "The Pope and Technology - Lessons for Education". Good stuff!

I include myself in what appears to be a large part of the non-Catholic world who admired Pope John Paul's personable leadership style and his positive influences in making the world a better place to live...I had not really considered what he had done in the way of adopting technology.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 03:48 AM | Permalink

Don't get your hopes up...the cell phone has not conquered the Digital Divide as "Mobilility Bridges the Digital Divide: Corante - Moore's Lore" might lead your to believe. The cell phone is demonstrating its ability to conquer/overcome the barriers of infrastructure-heavy, land-line, phone systems. But the conquest is more like what the public telepone system did to the privately held, remotely accessible telegraph. The Digital Divide by most definitions includes access to more than just the connectivity of one-to-one communications available via most cell phones. Cell phone technology may be able to advance communications at a higher rate than traditional systems and it is a great step toward improving connectivity as well as decreasing isolation... but it is but one leg of a three-legged stool in terms of access to information and world-wide technology. When those cell phones include instant access to medical and health information as well as educational, entrepreneurial, governmental, and institutional activity, then I would be more inclined to load the technology arsenal with cell phone ammunition. In the meantime, the ability to make phone calls does not mean the Digital Divide has been conquered.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 06:19 AM | Permalink

What starts out to be a warm-fuzzy grandmother-meets-the-Internet story, Fredericksburg.com - The majority of Americans are online, turns out to be a broader view of Digital Divide issues...much of which is re-hashed from Pew Internet studies. There is at least one interesting highlight:

Andy Carvin, director of the Digital Divide Network is quoted,
"The problem is that we haven't found a language yet to explain to the general public and the policymakers the connection between Internet access and Internet skills and their importance in the lives of the community and community development and educational prosperity."

What Andy describes as a lack of appropriate language has roots in the details of the article:
• If you did not grow up in the PC generation, you are less likely to see the need to use computers
• If you are over 50, you are in the least likely category of individuals to use a computer

Well, guess what?!...those two items alone describe demographics of too many senior level policy makers. If you take the story full circle from the 90 year-old grandmother, now armed with email because of a grandson who showed her how it worked...let's find more (senior) policymakers who have Internet savy grandchildren and suggest/demand that their grandchildren become technical advisors!

OK, so I am being facetious...but I wouldn't rule out the prospects of positive outcomes from such an effort. Here's the scenario: before electing/appointing any more 50+ individuals to technologically influential positions, let's see a list of computer skills that their grandchildren have mastered....call it the techno-litmus test (TLT), and give it a 1 to 10 scale. Any candidate with a sub-6 TLT gets rebooted (unless the candidate can explain what getting rebooted means in geek-speak). I regress...

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:16 AM | Permalink

The statistics of this report are not what I would consider startling, but the emphasis on localized solutions is noteworthy: EUROPA - Rapid - Press Releases

Without action, Europe may become even more polarised between the 'eIncluded and the eExcluded'.

Failing to acquire information skills compounds the difficulties faced by the poor and long-term unemployed, producing the 'eExcluded'. Following up on its 2001 study, the Commission report (PDF) states that digital and social participation clearly appear ‘closely intertwined in a society which becomes progressively technical.'

Success stories of local, grassroots efforts, to be eInclusive make a strong case for public policy strategy development at the local level rather than heavy-handed legislative strategies from executive levels of government. Hmmm...I wonder if anyone in the US congress listening?

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 06:03 AM | Permalink

Corey Murray of eSchool News online offers a preview of the 2005 CoSN (Consortium for School Networking) Compendium report Accessible Technologies for All Students: "CoSN pushes accessible technology."

"Aside from fostering better communication among staff and sharing ideas, educators say increased collaboration between special-ed and IT departments will bring about partnerships critical to education reform, accelerate the use of technology in schools, increase access to assistive and accessible technologies for all students, and employ a greater range of solutions that ultimately can individualize instruction for every student, regardless of disability or learning style. "

Continue reading "Assistive Technology and Information Technology - Closing the Gap, Blurring the Distinction" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 09:36 AM | Permalink

US schools lag in high-tech era (p2pnet.net News): "Just about every school in the US is online, but students are well ahead of their supposed teachers when it comes to modern communications technologies and techniques."

The full www.ed.gov report(PDF): Toward a New Golden Age In American Education - How the Internet, the Law, and Today's Students are Revolutionizing Expectations

From the conclusions of the report:

"Today's technology-literate middle and high school students will also be drivers of reform, creating a new student-teacher partnership."

More frightening than the techo-literate middle schooler is this year's class of graduating high school seniors who potentially have a 10 year memory of life with the Internet and who are probably armed and ready with an SMS capable cell phone! The student-teacher partnership described in the paragraph above sounds like warm and fuzzy constructivism, but in reality it is the waving of the white flag of truce and negotiating terms of surrender. If you can't catch up with them, then have them (the students) benevolently teach us all!

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 01:22 PM | Permalink

Gleaned from The quiet retiring hype are the following 8 items that Owen and Jill Weeks identify as some of the key elements to finding a successful retirement locale:

1. Availability of Medical & Dental care
2. Availabilty of broadband Internet
3. Security
4. Access to rail or air transportation
5. Sociability of the new community
6. Car repair if you drive anything out of the ordinary
7. How many TV Channels are available
8. Will your cell phone connect you to pizza delivery

It just seemed interesting to me that not just Internet access, but broadband access ranks so high among the list of priorities. In a stereotypical list for seniors, one might expect to see newspaper delivery rather than Internet access as a priority. I would venture a premise that the current generation of soon-to-be-retired will completely re-define what has been a traditional season of slowing down and a new generational gap in how one retires will emerge. Just wait... you'll be checking out Sharper Image in a few years for a Titanium, solar powered rocking chair with a built-in wireless laptop and hands-free, stereo, voice activated cell phone connection...on a GPS-guided golf cart, no doubt. Ah yes, chasing the technology dragon, retirement style! *grin*

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 03:20 PM | Permalink

I am starting to see a litany of David-Letterman-Type top ten lists coming out for the year. This one, Top 10 Returns On Investment, comes by way of Techlearning.com. "With budgets slashed, NCLB-inspired demands for quick spikes in student achievement, and the public clamoring for proof that technology is really working in education, all eyes are on the bottom line." While I have little doubt that statement reflects the sentiments of many, I am more concerned that the emphasis is placed on watching the bottom line rather than watching the quality of learning going on in our students. I'll not even entertain the argument that NCLB = quality learning...that is a rant that belongs in another forum.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 04:32 AM | Permalink

From T.H.E. Journal by way of Ray Schroeder's Educational Technology: "Putting Tablet PCs to the Test. I post this in fairness from a previous post that did not reflect as well on the use of Tablet PC's (Tablet PC - Good Educational Technology or New Toy?). I remain a bit skeptical, but commentary in this article shows promise:

"Students took notes, performed research, read and shared their work with the class. Software allowed teachers to poll students to ensure they were on task and understood the material. Many schools that required tablets or notebooks for all students used them to take quizzes and tests, or to provide immediate teacher feedback. The computers were an integral part of the curriculum and assessment."

I must admit that I have never seen Tablet PC's in action in the classroom and have had visions of the kinds of nightmare's that a teacher might encounter. At least this article includes references to the challenges along with the benefits of incorporating this technology into the classroom.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 03:53 AM | Permalink

I do love it when politics enters the arena of the chase for the technology dragon. This recent article is a good example of what that means: U.S. Policy Faulted Over Broadband Digital Divide. This is precisely what Chasing the Dragon's Tale is about. It may come as a shock to some, but access to the Internet via a broadband high-speed connection is not where connectivity started. When public Internet access entered the frey as part of the Digital Divide the difference between the have's and have not's was easier to identify. Your 14.4 speed (or slower - anyone remember 15 baud connections besides me?) connection via a telephone modem was your ticket to jump the digital divide. Look at how we currently define the digital divide in terms of High-speed 'haves' and slow-speed 'have nots'. So what ever happened to the original digital divide, defined by whether or not you had any access whatsoever? The digital divide, however one may define it, is not a static entity. Allow me another metaphor similar to my chase for the dragon: the technology train left the station a long time ago...even if you start running down the tracks today, it may be a struggle to ever get a glimpse of the caboose...you can forget becoming the engineer in the front car! The distance between the station (where many people in the world haven't even reached) and the caboose of that moving, speeding train, is the digital divide.

Continue reading "Finger pointing at the FCC - Unequally divided digits" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 04:59 AM | Permalink

The first in a series of 5 audio reports from NPR talks about digital generations: Rural Areas Demanding High-Speed Internet Access.

Major points that I identified from the audio file:
• Age/Commnunity type rather than Race/Class are better determinates as to whether or not an individual has access and uses the Internet
• Enthusiam from family members is the greatest bridge from younger to older generations
• Access is no longer enough, high speed access is deemed to be essential
• Rural areas can develop creative, cost-effective, entrepreneurial solutions to access

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 02:52 PM | Permalink

The personal remote response technology described in a recent Sun-Sentinel.com article, School's new equipment pushes the right buttons, has been around for a while and seems to be growing up. I admit to being an early proponent of such a mechanism as a tool to track student participation in a classroom setting...the idea was fairly simple. In order to overcome the fear of testing make basically every verbal question in a class setting a test. Conceptually, by getting responses from every student upon asking every question, the teacher can get a better idea of where each individual stands, instantaneously! If this were to work properly, a response of 'I don't know' or 'I don't understand' would be perfectly acceptable answers in terms of assessment. The risk, however, and what I perceive to be happening is that we may be creating a technologically savy generation of great test takers. From the article:

"Each gadget has an educational goal related to Florida's state standards for middle schoolers, Principal Debra Johnson said."

"This is not like a toy factory here," Johnson said. "We use carefully selected hardware and software to get the desired outcome," improved student academic performance." (my emphasis)

Continue reading "Remote Control Response and Assessment" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 04:55 AM | Permalink

Educational Technology blogger, Ray Schroeder, featured an interesting article, "Bridging the Technology Proficiency Gap Through Peer Mentoring" that recognizes the technology gap within the ranks of teachers and then takes advantage of the difference in skills to create mentoring opportunities.

"Because peer mentoring offered a trusting, supportive relationship, it promoted collegial relationships. As the mentee teachers acquired new skills, gone were the barriers preventing teachers from using technology. This facilitated changes in teachers’ perceptions to appreciate technology as a teaching tool, which in turn motivated teachers to use this tool more frequently. Technology integration became a regular component of classroom strategies."

Continue reading "Reaching across the divide - Teachers Mentor Teachers" »

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:38 PM | Permalink

Gail Robinson's article, Making High Schools Smaller, offers what I would consider a balanced perspective on the advantages of shifting from large, comprehensive, high schools to smaller themed schools. It is a good read and well documented.

...just a fleeting observation: Transforming High Schools is an emphasis at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation...and the foundation's fundamental solution to the failures of our present high school educational system is NOT technology. I will try my best to remember that the next time I'm whining about patches for my MS products.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:43 AM | Permalink

Ray Schroeder at Educational Technology points to an interesting article this morning. Adding specialized support for technology in the schools is not always as simple as adding a staff position to overcome hardware, technical, and pedagogical challenges. From THE Journal, "Fulfilling the Need far a Technology Integration Specialist":

..."...using technology in more student-centered, constructivist ways can be a daunting challenge for many classroom teachers. For example, engaging students in inquiry projects using Web-based resources, computer simulation activities, digital probes and other tools requires substantial technical and pedagogical support. Teachers need assistance in knowing which software, technology or interactive tool supports each specific educational goal, as well as which ones provide support in using technology effectively on a daily basis.

Teachers need both technical and pedagogical support to effectively use technology. This pedagogical support is typically offered by existing technology coordinators or by other technology-savvy teachers. As schools have become more technologically sophisticated, the responsibilities of the technology coordinator have increased as well. The technology coordinator can easily get caught up in the hardware part of his or her job (e.g., wiring, setting up labs, troubleshooting), rather than showing teachers how to use the equipment and how to incorporate it into their instruction. These diverse responsibilities make it difficult, if not impossible, for the technology coordinators to offer direct instruction to teachers and staff."

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 06:30 AM | Permalink

"The Liberty staff is determining what technology resources they need for their classrooms. They will also undergo training (20-25 percent of the grant is to be spent on staff development) to learn the best teaching practices for utilizing technology. The project's goal is to demonstrate the educational value of fully incorporating technology as a tool in education and create model schools that the state of North Carolina can review when determining its education investment priorities. The NCEITA Education Foundation is committed to focus efforts on rural and underserved school districts in North Carolina."

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 09:33 PM | Permalink

"Supporters say take-home laptops will boost student learning time, enrich instruction and bridge the technology gap between students of middle-class and low-income families."

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:34 PM | Permalink

"Huge it is. The network is 10 times larger than a proposed citywide Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) network in Philadelphia -- one that media reports last week inaccurately said would be the largest in the world. Covering parts of Walla Walla, Columbia, Franklin, Benton and Umatilla counties, Columbia Energy's 1,500-square-mile Wi-Fi hot spot is bigger than the state of Rhode Island."

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:53 AM | Permalink

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 06:12 PM | Permalink

"Huge it is. The network is 10 times larger than a proposed citywide Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) network in Philadelphia -- one that media reports last week inaccurately said would be the largest in the world. Covering parts of Walla Walla, Columbia, Franklin, Benton and Umatilla counties, Columbia Energy's 1,500-square-mile Wi-Fi hot spot is bigger than the state of Rhode Island."

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:53 AM | Permalink

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 01:33 PM | Permalink

"The real issue was trying to get access in the home where it's convenient," said Rey Ramsey, chief executive of the nonprofit One Economy Corp., which pioneered the approach being used in Philadelphia and several other cities. By the end of this year, One Economy estimates that 5,000 households will be connected, and the group is negotiating with Verizon Corp. (Verizon Avenue) for a major expansion of the project.

Posted by Paul Chenoweth at 05:18 AM | Permalink

The Microsoft boss said there was still a "very significant digital divide" in the world - unequal access to technology caused by either remoteness or lack of money(my emphasis).

Posted by admin at 04:53 AM | Permalink

"Although 98 percent of survey respondents said they had at least one internet-connected computer in their classrooms for professional use, most respondents said there isn't enough time in the day to take advantage of the technology and that a shortage of computers for students still retards achievement. "

Posted by admin at 03:04 PM | Permalink

Posted by admin at 04:40 AM | Permalink

"...the program will increase parents' computer skills. While their children might have been using technology in school, many parents have not had access to computers or they own outdated equipment. Their increased familiarity with a computer can help them develop job and research skills they didn't have before. These parents also will be good examples of lifelong learning to their children."

Posted by admin at 08:04 AM | Permalink

"The Internet is no longer a luxury item. It is a must have service for economic development and education in rural areas. Small towns will continue to suffer without access to high spee Internet connectivity, and BLP (Broadband over Power Lines) is (the most convenient and efficient method) of delivering that service."

Posted by admin at 10:44 AM | Permalink

"Students learn how to take apart and rebuild the computer, install software; upgrade, diagnose and fix basic hardware problems; and how to use the word processing and educational software. In addition, students must meet certain program requirements such as attending school, demonstrating good citizenship and sustaining or improving their grades. Upon completion of the course, students earn a refurbished Dell desktop computer, operating system and software to take home and one year of free Internet access."

"Questions are being raised about poor coordination between technology purchases and curriculum, a lack of teacher training on new equipment and an overall reluctance on the part of school officials to heed the advice of outsiders and reconsider spending priorities."

Posted by admin at 07:02 PM | Permalink

Nielson defines Internet access penetration as "the percentage of people aged 2 and over living in households equipped with a fixed line phone, who have home access to the Internet, though not necessarily logging online during a specific timeframe".
OK, let's be fair:

75% of Americans above the age of 2, (not to be confused with the per centage of American homes) have a landline telephone

Because this same group has a landline telephone, is is technically possible to access the Internet...who knows, Aunt Sue might show up at the door with her laptop and say. "Hey, let's get online!"

This same group with access as described above, may or may not log online "during a specific time" (whatever that means)... perhaps it is time to check the specific logon time schedule. See the full PDF here. Nielson made great headlines with this one...but whose tail are they chasing? (And...if this cynicism is out of line, the apology is ready and waiting)

Posted by admin at 12:14 AM | Permalink

"..people in rural areas are not as computer literate as those in urban and suburban areas, which made the Lighthouse facility a perfect candidate." "Lighthouse courses already have a long waiting list. They have a strong volunteer base, a strong mailing list, and they're doing a lot to let people know that it exists."

"...providing computer classes is just as important as providing food and shelter." "It would be easy for some to say there are hungry people, why are you messing around with tech classes? I'm a semi-technical dolt myself, but I also believe that this is no longer a frill -- it is increasingly a necessity for quality of life." "...people who don't use computers often feel inept and left behind. They might have a computer, but they can't even turn it on -- and when their grandchildren try to teach them, they don't have the patience. It really impacts people's self image. " "But you just have to do it -- usually in the company of someone who knows what to do." "In our first class, we had a 10-year-old home-schooled boy and an 83-year-old man who wanted to get up to speed...it cuts across socioeconomic boundaries, and is open to everyone."

Posted by admin at 12:42 PM | Permalink