Tales of a Technology Omnivore

I’ve been sitting on this wonderful article from eSchool news about the top 10 edtech stories that we’ll continue to see in 2008.  eSchool hit it right on the mark with this must-read year in review article.  Spotlights go to how the Megan Meiers case is shaping how the country views cyberbullying — this tragic story is birthing grassroots movement, legislative debate, and hopefully, a more serious treatment of a modern day threat.  Something I’ve been treating with great interest comes in at number 7 — social networking.  This is my number one goal for integration ideas — examine, strategize, and pilot what social networking can do for the classroom.  Emergency notification systems, online learning, low-cost laptops, and the uphill battle for edtech funding round out the top of the list.

Read it:  http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=51475

I love reading about technology predictions for the upcoming year because it excites me and gives me something to dream about (yes, I know I need a life but whatever — I get a kick out of this stuff).  So after reading what others are predicting for 2008, I am able to compile a list of my own predictions for education technology in 2008.  Of course, I see the edTech industry as a follower in terms of late adoption of everything so I’m going to take a stab and see how much of this will come true by next year.

Prediction 1:  Apple will continue to gain ground in education. 

This is a no-brainer but I predict that due to its ability to run both operating systems, Apple computers will continue to be the platform of choice for schools.  With the ease of use in built in programs like garageband, students can make music and podcasts, websites, movies, and other media rich projects.  This is the way to go — replace the tri-board with a smartboard and digital projects.

Prediction 2:  Social networking will make it’s grand entrance. 

Educators salivate over the idea of digital portfolios.  Kids LOVE creating their own spaces on social networks.  And education technologists have been busy trying to figure out how we can leverage social networks in education.  It looks like each child’s page in a protected social network will function as their digital portfolio.  With PCworld predicting that 2008 is the year that the business world embraces social networking, I predict that education will follow right behind.

Prediction 3:  Continued disappointment with school networks. 

The beauty of web-based products:  You can use them on any computer, anywhere.  They require no installation.  Students can work from home, on a mobile device, or in a computer lab.  So what’s the disappointment?  The excitement will subside when you try to get a class of 30 children on laptops to use these tools on a school network.  In NYC we have pretty robust networks but the bandwidth required to make web2.0 applications a reality is not here yet and this will be a disappointment for educators who realize how easy and valuable it is use online collaborative applications amongst other things.

Prediction 4:  Mobile technology will continue to shape the landscape of learning.

The phones our students will bring into the classroom are more powerful than some of the hardware we line our computer labs with (seriously).  They have high speed internet access from which they can use IM clients, see their social networks, and send emails rich with photos, videos, and audio.  Think of the implications:  Students will be able to transmit teacher antics in audio and video formats and snapshots of exams; they’ll be able to speak with their friends ALL DAY; and they will have access to the Internet all the time which can be used to ask questions and get all types of information.  Foolish educators will bar students from using these tools.  The wise ones will start putting all homework online, assigning projects that utilize students multimedia devices, and employ online collaborative / social networking / internet search strategies in their lessons.  We CAN make this digital landmine a goldmine for learning. 

That’s all for now — Happy New Year!

The use of technology in the classroom has changed the way children learn, allowing both students and teachers to unlock their creativity. Tim Magner, director of the office of educational technology for the U.S. Department of Education, remembers the impact a simple computer program had on his eighth grade geography class when computers were first becoming mainstream.

 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119247579234659595.html