Week 1 Technology integration in the classroom?

After my introductory post, last class, I started asking myself a few questions. What is it about technology in today's world that makes me so apprehensive? Is it the application in the educational/business side of life that I didn't like? Or is it the social/personal side I didn't like?......It didn't take long to realize that it was the social/personal side....Then my wife kindly reminded me that I was cheap and not to forget there was an economical side too!

I pieced a few things together, and it seemed to make sense.
      Online banking, love it! Banks have so many great tools on their websites now, that they have made personal finance so easy and dare I say fun.
      Online video tutorials, love 'em! From changing my garbage disposal, to getting that "oil change needed" light to turn off on the dash of my car, after I just had the oil changed last week. ughhh!
      Facebook, constant texts, and phone calls, that scares me! ...well, maybe not me so much, I just avoid it... but how social networking will affect my kids when they go to school, now that scares me!
     Money, and household budget. I guess my first instinct is to ask the old, Do you "need" it or do you "want" it question? Spending $30 for a data plan, that is used mostly for fun/social networking. no thanks! $100 for cable t.v. no thanks! over-the-air digital antenna check it out.

I guess that brings us to the question of whether we should integrate technology into the classroom. I think there is three main topics that need to be investigated; Will this technology improve the learning experience? What are the best ways to improve/ensure appropriate use of devices/technology? What kind of costs are involved and what level of integration will deliver the biggest "bang for the buck"?

I think everyone can agree that technology can improve the learning experience. I think the study about the children in Ethiopia first interacting with the tablets and learning the ABC's within two weeks is spot on. I know my children are much more engaged and willing to sit down and practice their ABC's even if the iPad was only showing a digital version of a simple flash card. There is just something fun and amazing about technology to them.  In Merriam-Webster's dictionary, under the word technology it reads

"technology includes the use of materials, tools, techniques and sources of power to make life easier, more pleasant, and work more productive."

I think all teachers would agree that if something is going to help students understand a topic or process faster, then it needs to be in the classrooms so students reach their goals and objectives.

What is the best way to limit inappropriate use and improve our "Cybercivility" (just learned that word)? Although this topic is what scares me the most and is a very serious concern.  I don't feel that cyber bullying or inappropriate websites is the main driving force keeping tech out of schools. In my opinion that danger is already there in the pockets of kids with cell phones. Openly discussing it in our schools is probably all that is needed to keep it under control. I thought this two part video was interesting and informative.

Onto the financial portion of technology integration. This I believe is the most important factor to what is keeping our schools from completely committing to technology. It is also the most complicated, and what I had the hardest time finding information on. There was a lot of conflicting stuff on long term financial benefits and super complicated cost analysis "stuff" that just left me stuck in the middle still wondering whether schools could make the technological  switch with their current budgets. It seemed to be the estimated costs associated with wi-fi infrastructure, and training teachers/administrators that made the arguments so diverse. I feel that the costs of the tablets themselves and e-books versus textbooks was much more simple to understand, but I was really hoping to see a public school that had made the digital switch a few years ago show some of their balance sheets or raw data on what their costs were. I haven't yet. All I know is school supplies do cost money, and even the basic ones are not all that cheap. Check out this list for my daughter who is going into second grade.

Is she suppose to bring this all on day one and store it in her desk? I feel like the teacher is going to collect it all and supply the class with it in an "as needed basis". Which I don't have a problem with because kids need the tools they need, to succeed in school, but come on... our state/federal government needs to do a better job making education a priority and increasing funding. I don't remember bringing so many supplies to school when I was so young.  I do still have my TI-82 and 85 calculators from 20 years ago though, and those things were not cheap either! I feel like they were about $100, probably where tablets will be in a year or two.

I guess I'll keep searching for a great example of a school that made the digital switch(at least from textbooks to e-books) and how well that school has done or not done, financially. I'm sure that the children have been reaping the benefits educationally.... and not to get too political here, but whether or not it costs a little more money for our schools in the long, it shouldn't matter. Its time for our government to re prioritize their budget and fund the educational system how it needs to be funded for the future of our kids and country.Time for technology to finally break through into all our schools!