13th August 2006

We’ve got to change pedagogy, not just Internet access

posted in 1:1, leadership, politics |

A recent article on TechLearning drew my attention to Green WiFi, a non-profit affiliated with OLPC that hopes to provide cost-effective, wireless access to the Internet in the developing world. The following paragraph from an article in CNET reveals some of the assumptions and hopes of those supporting
this project:

“Access to the global marketplace can help you raise your standard of living. Indigenous craft makers can sell their products on the Internet,” he said. “It creates more opportunity and chances for people to improve their lives and get clean water and food. Without money, it is quite hard to change life in very significant ways.” (Closing
the digital divide with solar Wi-Fi - page 2 | CNET News.com)

No question, this is an exciting and laudible initiative. I must point out, however, that creating expanded educational opportunities for students in both the developing and developed world involves much more than just providing computing hardware and access to the Internet. The eRate program in the United States has provided connectivity in every school in the nation, as far as I know, but predominant educational strategies for teachnig and learning have
NOT changed much as a result. (See Larry Cuban’s book Oversold and Underused: Computers in the Classroom for more on this.)

We have to help not only teachers, but educational LEADERS at all levels understand the need for pedagogic change– not only connectivity. Unfortunately, this need does not seem to be apparent to most US legislators– and is not included in the law or policies of any educational legislation I’ve seen in the past decade: eRate, NCLB, DOPA, or anything else.

Any edubloggers out there running for Congress? Maybe it’s time some of us considered candidacy. Do we need an edublogger political action committee? We need to move this dialog more into the mainstream press and into our communities. We don’t just need Internet wiring and more computers. We need teachers who teach differently: Who engage students in in-depth learning experiences, and administrators who empower them to do so on a regular basis.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, August 13th, 2006 at 9:20 pm and is filed under 1:1, leadership, politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

There are currently 4 responses to “We’ve got to change pedagogy, not just Internet access”

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  1. 1 On August 13th, 2006, Doug Noon said:

    I’ve been thinking about “who” the edbloggers’ audience is, lately, and I’ve almost talked myself into becoming a regular testifier at school board hearings. They give anyone 3 minutes to speak on “non-agenda items.” In our community, the hearings are broadcast on public radio. A lot of people listen. It would be a little bit like podcasting, but directly to the decision makers and to the local public, which might have more impact than spouting off on a blog that is read by a few dozen people who can’t do anything about what I’m talking about anyway. I could even record and publish my testimony online in the hopes that other people might do the same. Unless all the rhetoric turns into action at some point, what’s the point? What do you think?

  2. 2 On August 13th, 2006, Wesley Fryer said:

    Doug, I think that is an excellent idea. I think there is great value for the conversations that are ongoing here in the edublogosphere, in large part because I think they help us share ideas and clarify perspectives, as well as learn about new ones and expand old ones.

    But I think if we want to change the world, we have to take these conversations to the streets. I think your idea of sharing at school board meetings is outstanding. That is exactly what I think each of us needs to do in our own localities: get involved starting more conversations (face to face) with leaders and decisionmakers. I would love to hear you share what you tell them, what their response is, and what your reaction is… etc. I can see a real need for a civic action movement when it comes to school reform.

    I heard someone say something today that I think could become a good strategy for this context as well as others: He talked about “provoking the imaginations” of others. I think we need to engage in dialogs that do that. I think we need to ask basic questions: Like, “What world are we preparing our students to succeed in?” We need to challenge our leaders to define specifically how they are helping students prepare for a world that will increasingly require out-of-the-box thinking and flexibility.

    I say, go for it! And then let us know how it goes. Your thinking inspires me to see if our local school board here in Edmond, Oklahoma has a similar time for open comments and questions.

  3. 3 On August 14th, 2006, Beth said:

    I’ll vote for the edubloggers out there! I brought up DOPA to a friend recently. He was someone who follows politics and is looking forward to a career in education. He’d never even heard of it! I feel so locked into a world that does not go outside the confines of these blogs. I’d love to see more theses word and ideas outside of the edublogosphere.

  4. 4 On August 14th, 2006, wayan said:

    Well the One Laptop Per Child project is about pedagogic change - pedagogic change on a massive scale. One million laptops at a minimum, little to no teacher training, students who are supposed to learn learning, yes its going to be a pedagogic change alright!

    But will the change be at the expense of other things? Thailand is talking about using these laptops to replace books. http://www.olpcnews.com/commentary/olpc_news/olpc_to_replace_book.html
    Am I the only one who thinks that’s way too much change?