Rethinking 3

What do the skeptics say?  I wonder whether the authors have really looked in the schools or are they really writing from the college level perspective?  On page 37 the authors say, ......... cost is still a serious barrier to these technologies becoming central to schooling".  Every school I have worked in has a lot of computers and nearly enough technicians.  So, I look at how those resources are being used.  Students word process and do Internet searches for information.  About half and even more of their time is spent playing games or getting around blocks to forbidden sites.  The problem that I see to be most important is managing students on computers.  I think to do this effectivcely and consistently, schools might need a computer policeman who automatically and consistently supervises students when they are on computers.  I know how to use Vision to block students but as a substitute, I can't stop students from constantly going back to the forbidden pages.  If I shut their computers down, I risk physical violence in the room with many of the student populations I supervise in some schools.  Keeping order is my top priority in those situations.

On page 40 the authors say, "The innovative instruction that drives many computer applications also makes the teacher's job more difficult."  I agree but would like to add also more fun.  I know that David Grabski works 70 -80 hours per week with Jeff Milsna at PJ Jacobs Junior High School in Stevens Point.  They work together to incorporate computer literacy into their classes.  And, it does create extra work.  One problem is that beginning teachers work about 60 hrs per week and earn about $8/hr (no time and a half).  Using the technology effectively reduces this to about $5/hr.  People often think it inappropriate to talk about teacher salaries but the reality is that Wisconsin teachers have created problems for themselves because they have not done so.  I see this aspect evolving so that teachers have more and more technical assistance for incorporating technology.  My thinking is that it will be something like the evolution of having teacher's aids.  It is significant also to mention here that Grabski and Milsna have not deeply incorporated technology in their teaching.  What they have really done is to  train students to use the Internet for Moodle and for information searches.  Their young students are not collaborating with people outside of class and when they collaborate with each other it is F2F.  Their web applications encourage and even demand more parental involvement but not a great deal more.

On page 41 the autrhors say, "Computers act to dilute the authority that teachers have in classrooms ..............Teachers like to share their expertise.  were they to use computers extensively, they would have to give up center stage".  A teacher who really knows the content can not be intimidated by Internet sources and center stage might now include things like demonstrating computer expertise.  These complaints are the arguements of those without courage or confidence.  These teachers hide behind the ignorance of others and might be exposed by computer resources.  To make learning relevant, teachers should expose students to real world experts.  This will also encourage students to think about careers for themselves and just maybe students will desire information beyond games.