Eclectic Technology

Research continues to tell us that providing students with digital devices does not lead to improved learning outcomes. The question that needs to be looked at is what else needs to be done?
This post begins by looking at two neighborhoods in Philadelphia. One neighborhood has "concentrated affluence" and the other has "concentrated poverty."  They each had one item that was similar - a library. Each library  had "been retooled with banks of new computers, the latest software and speedy Internet access."

The researchers were interested in seeing if the introduction of computers would "close the opportunity gap." Unfortunately this is not what happened. Here is one sentence from the post: "They select different programs and features, engage in different types of mental activity, and come away with different kinds of knowledge and experience."

There is much more information found in this post. The way the students use the computers were very different between the two groups as was the interaction of the adults with the children.

This post brings up one question for me. More and more schools are moving to a one-to-one initiative. Are these schools providing teachers with the necessary professional development for them to effectively teach their students? Will we be able to overcome the obstacles that were found in these two very different libraries in our schools, or will we see a difference between our students who have access at home and those who do not?

How has teaching changed? Below are the seven key ideas. .

1. A culture of emerging literacies

2. A society that is mobile

3. A world where equity is a central theme

4. A society of constant connectivity

5. A world where the technology learns, too

6. A context that demands new credibility in an era of information

7. A culture that can seem, well, distracted

Many teachers may be overwhelmed with these changes and may require professional development to help them develop new skills that technology brings. But change has happened before and will continue to happen. The question is how are we adapting to the changes and how can we assist our students in becoming independent  learners in this new age of learning?

This infographic provides a great look at connected learning. Learn about connected learning as a way to engage students and values involved with using it. Short and sweet!