Reaction to Week 5 article

Myths and Realities About Technology in K-12 Schools
By Glenn M. Kleiman, The Center for Online Professional Education (COPE)
at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)

What a timley article to have read after compleating my Technology inventory of my school. I was thinking about how many tools we have and how little we really use them. I have started to wonder about how we can bring teachers to the point of authentic tecnology intergration.

Even tough there may be a district or even school plan for technology there may be other plans at work and little support and leadership to carry out a plan. Some schools are motivated to get technology but not to teach it. If a low income school can prove that its students are ignorant about technology then they get more money.

I think that the authors are now wrong about the technology divide. Many low income schools have lots of computers and equipment because of government programs. The truth is that the didvide does exist but not in access to good equipment at school. My school is a low income one with lots of technology, and I do see a difference in these kids. High income kids are more likely to have a computer at home, and teachers can do more authentic activities with these more tech savy kids, where as we are more concerned wth their litteracy. Our students often spend there time on the computer just getting comfortable with it. It is difficult to get kid needing basic skills to do the ideal of iquaries bassed learning where the technology is a tool and not the subjuect of the learning.

So, yes school need ong term and ongoing support for teachers, but we have also got to consider the needs and particulars of our students.