meL’s Word

I remain frustrated by our lack of technology use.  My district is far and above most districts its size in terms of the technology tools we have available for teachers and students – yet so many of these tools go relatively unused.   At the beginning of the school year our district superintendent admonished four schools who did not make AYP last year – “if you do as you have always done you will get what you have always gotten” – didn’t make too many friends with this statement, yet he is correct.  I frequently hear variousteachers complain that the students can’t/won’t learn, yet they are teaching the way I was taught 30+ years ago.  I was bored to tears in middle school and I didn’t have a computer, video game, Wii, PS2, DS, etc. to go home to.   Now that I am in education, I really get the whole Charlie Brown teacher thing – I hear it all day long.

Okay, done venting – Jackie Gerstein has put together this wonderful page – go look and be inspired: http://classroom-technology.weebly.com/index.html

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a webinar with Dan Tapscott, author of Wikinomics and Grown Up Digital (hosted by Discovery Education).  This was the first I had heard of Tapscott and I was intrigued by his message.  His latest book, Grown Up Digital, is the result of a $4.5 million dollar study of the Net Generation (those aged 12 – 30).  This generation is transforming the way the world works.  Through their innovation and collaboration, the world is changing the way things are done (except for education).  I firmly believe every administrator and decision maker in education needs to pay heed.

Tapscott states that the traditional broadcast model of education (I teach, you listen and take notes) is no longer working.  Education needs to be customized to a more interactive and collaborative model.  This makes sense, after all the studies looking at the way people learn, we still teach to the auditory and visual learners.  What about those who learn by doing?  Students today listen to a lecture, takes notes (maybe) and memorize enough to pass a test.  This isn’t truly learning.  It is memorization. 

Arne Duncan, our new Secretary of Education, proposes “flipping” NCLB – perhaps he should read Tapscotts books first.   How about truly revamping education?