The pace of change is breathtaking! America Online, which was only a blip on the radar 15 years ago, merges with Time-Warner! Electronic commerce, as epitomized by eBay, Yahoo and Amazon.com, has dramatically altered the way we shop. Communications has shrunk the distances and brought the four corners of the globe much closer together. Now wireless technologies will revolutionize classroom teaching.
And, this is just the beginning!
| This is where we are headed!
"Drexel University is poised to become one of the first major universities in the country with a wireless campus. With the aid of a $175 Ethernet adapter, every student will be able to access Drexel's high-speed network to send e-mail, conduct Internet research, or check class assignments from most buildings, or from outside under a tree. The adapter fits into a laptop computer, providing access to the wireless network." The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 10, 2000 |
Yet I read constantly about teachers who have yet to learn how to use a computer. They haven't a clue about how to integrate new technologies into the classroom. What's more, there are teachers who are actually proud that they don't use a computer or know how to use email. Now that's just plain scary!
So I want to make a case for teachers
to embrace new technologies. Do so as though your life depends on it! For
in fact it does! No excuses: lack of funds, no leadership, uncertainty
about systems, fear of the unknown, et cetera, et cetera. Just do it!
| Read the CEO Forum's Report Meeting Individual Teacher Needs: The Teacher Technology Adoption Process to get an idea of how your journey will unfold. Then brainstorm with your colleagues, administrators and parents. The more you understand the deep seated nature of this revolution which is technology, the more you will want to be a part of it. |
There is not one subject area which cannot be enhanced and revitalized through the use of technology. Email alone will open lines of communication to your students efficiently and dramatically whether you teach Latin or Physics. In my area of expertise, which is music, the hardware and software which permit the transcription and replication of scores are incredibly useful. Explore your subject area to find similar nuggets! Also, I find that keeping in touch with developments in your field through mailing lists and forums is effortless and inexpensive. They are a far cry from the old fashioned printed newsletters and journals.
Remember: the Internet had its birth
in the research and academic communities. Let's recapture that focus in
our work, and enrich our teaching in the process.
--Rob Kennedy, Private Schools Guide
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