Comments on: No time for technology in high schools

By: Tom Hoffman

Tom Hoffman — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 21:52:11 +0000

I would point out that the conventional wisdom in ed-tech and the ed-tech blogosphere is that computer science and programming aren’t very important (it’s not about the technology, etc., etc.,) Do we need to change that?

By: JO

JO — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:55:51 +0000

I also agree with what you have to say. As a curriculum consultant in Canada, I have heard the cries of teachers and administrators who live the life of too many objectives to cover – let alone make sure that the students actually understand them! When we offer new ways, the look we get reflects that of a deflated balloon or a mad bull. I will not even describe the reaction we get from the Provincial Assessments (we don’t call them “high-stakes assessments” – yet) that we are trying to launch so that we can “catch-up” to our southern neighbors. (I hope you can detect my sarcasm)

Dan Pink has some fantastic suggestions for how we could structure a new way of offering curriculum. Since we are no longer in the Information Age, we need to move to the conceptual age. He suggests the 6 high-concept senses to develop a whole new mind in a new era of demands. I think using these senses to drive the curriculum may be a start to preparing our students for the real world rather than the contrived one of our school systems.
JO

By: Learning Is Messy - Blog » Blog Archive » No Time For… _________________ ?

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:15:16 +0000

[...] Wes Fryer’s post “No Time For Technology In High Schools” follows up other tirades he has made about no time for recess and other areas now deemed “less important.” He states: NO TIME. No time for projects, no time for fun activities, no time for in-depth learning because there is too much curriculum to cover. [...]

By: Mark Ahlness

Mark Ahlness — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 03:41:04 +0000

Wesley,
I agree with you across the board. But I have hope, because I am teaching 8 and 9 year olds – and my kids get it. They get that they are part of a global community. They get that they are creating content, adding information to the body of knowledge in this world.

Right, there is no time in classrooms today for the things that matter. I say teachers have to MAKE the time. Play the testing game enough to get by – but then do what REALLY matters. The big machine (school districts, legislatures) will not get it in time to make a difference to my kids. They have to change it themselves.

I have many shining stars in my classroom, as you know. Some of them are budding evangelists for web 2.0 – they will put pressure on their teachers next year, because they have tasted the power of contributing to the world – and they do not want to give that up. I have faith in them. They’ll be in those tech classes.

So, what to do? Encourage teachers. If they give web 2.0 to their kids, it will spread, because kids will recognize its power. We teachers need to deliver that into our kids’ hands while promoting a positive message of safety, contribution, and involvement.

Thank you for all you have done to encourage my students and me this year, Wesley. We will all benefit from that, many times over. I’ll put the money on my kids changing things way before I wait for school districts to come ’round. – Mark

http://roomtwelve.com