Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:1003] Making it to the classroom
From: Steve Mahaley (Steve.Mahaley@DukeCE.com)
Date: Tue 30 Jan 2001 - 03:42:40 MET
From: "Steve Mahaley" <Steve.Mahaley@DukeCE.com> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:1003] Making it to the classroom Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 15:42:40 +1300
"What additional skills will future online teachers need with the advent of
major changes in the technological landscape?"
Sandra B. writes:
How about flexibility and life long learning <groan> I know its been done to
death, but it hasnt actually impacted on those institutions called schools! They
use it in their school mottos and logos but it hasnt actually crossed the
classroom floor yet!
-----\
I was sitting with a group of american public middle school teachers
this weekend. I work in a corporate environment, providing online
learning tools for custom educational programs. I asked the group if
having more technology (computers) would help their instruction. They
unanimously agreed that more hardware would help, and, when asked what
they would do with the hardware and internet connection, there was a
pause, and then ideas started flowing about individualized instruction,
project work, research, etc. =20
The current educational agenda for North Carolina is to test and
standardize - to provide some measure that "proves" that kids are
learning. The group of teachers I was with bemoaned the emphasis on the
testing as a creativity-killer. They also had stories to tell about the
many "duties" they have while on campus - monitoring lunch rooms, bus
loading, hallways, committees, buckets of paperwork and so on.
It is my assertion that we cannot expect to see real change in education
(US public flavor), including an effective integration of technology
tools, until we (u.s. citizens) address the lack of respect for
teacher's time, and for the profession. When we make a monetary
committment to improving the tech base at our public schools, when we
provide ample planning time and eliminate many of the low-end
administrative duties, when we encourage creativity and a real
application of proven teaching methodologies, that's when we will see
flexibility and life-long learning benefiting our children.
A perspective from stateside. Kind regards to the readership.
Steve Mahaley
Learning Technology and Development
Duke Corporate Education, Inc.
tel 919 680 5618
fax 919 680 5600
<http://www.dukece.com>
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