Typically, I wake up early in the morning with my mind already working on ideas. I don’t really know when the focus on what I’m going to blog this morning clamps off that mushy thought flow that is my dream state, but the ideas start to emerge. It usually begins small, “So what exactly does a classroom look like, where ‘finding’ digital information has been integrated as a basic literacy skill?” But then they start getting bigger, and more ominous, “Is this country going to be able to afford the retirements that my wife and I hope to enjoy?”
Anyway, the real challenge is for any of these ideas to survive my first round of e-mail, the tasks that must be addressed immediately. Today it has…
I hate when I feel that I have not sufficiently answered a question. Part of it is being a teacher. Teachers must have good answers to questions. It’s part of how we define ourselves. But a few days ago, I was asked, “Should we be going to a 1:1 arrangement in our schools?”
My initial (and too glib) answer was, “It isn’t a matter of ‘if’. It’s ‘when’.” That being said, it’s a task I wouldn’t wish on a friend. First of all, it won’t work in a 20th century classroom. The formula is much more complex and the questions are too deep to think that simply putting laptop or tablet PCs in the hands of your students will make them smarter, and better prepare them for their future — and these very smart people knew that already.
The issue is, “What does tech support for a 1:1 environment look like?” It should be at the same time, completely reliable and completely invisible. But what does that look like. Also, the staff development is the real iceberg that will sink the ship, but what does the professional development look like. Do we teach teachers to integrate laptops into the teaching and learning, or do we help them to become so thoroughly literate in contemporary information skills, that they become inventors of their own integration strategies.
Perhaps one of the most important questions is, “What stories do you go out and tell your community to convince them that being ready for their future requires that children have convenient access to networked digital information?” This is the part that I most hope I sufficiently addressed for them?
The main bugaboo is the responsibility. I have no doubt that we will be going to 1:1. We have no choice. The alternative is to be so lacking in vision and dedication to our children and our future, that it would borderline on the criminal. I would rather it happen sooner than later, and there are certainly those loathsome among us who would latch on to any excuse to quash the expenditures that I believe are essential to our future.
But that’s just me and the 2¢ in my pocket.
David,
1:1 better be a “when” and not and “if” in this country. If we truly want to compete in a global economy we need to prepare our students for their future (I agree with you on this completely). Of course the continunal cuts in edtech spending from the federal government continue to make this goal difficult to attain.
It is interesting that you mention the support issues around 1:1. In my school we are in our 4th year of having a 1:1 program. We have approx. 440 laptops for all of our teachers and students. Previous to this program we had approx. 80 desktop computers and a mobile lab of 12 laptops. This additional equipment created a need for more technical support and professional development. We added a full time technician to take care of the laptops. Her job is to troubleshoot, repair, send out (when the laptops can not be repaired by software reinstall), and keep track of inventory. With the custom image that we’ve been provided by Apple Computer this has been a breeze. Simple software issues are resolved with a re-image of about 20 minutes. Hardware issues are sent to Apple for repair and are generally returned within three days. We have a group of 10 spare computers to loan students when their laptop is out for repair. This works really smoothly. I am the building technology integrator. My position is to provide the staff development to assist teachers in their use of technology. I meet with our teaching teams on a regular basis and provide staff development that fits their needs and desires. I also am available to team teach with my teachers when they do not feel comfortable presenting the technology (this provides another level of staff development). I am fortunate to also have a Media Specialist who works with our students regularly on searching and evaluating digital content.
The piece that you are missing that is vital to the success of a 1:1 program is leadership. One thing that has been learned in Maine about 1:1 computing is the success of the program is directly connected to the leadership of the building. If there aren’t any expectations of teachers to incorporate the technology into the classroom, it only occurs in a small number of classrooms (regardless of support and professional development). It is really easy to continue doing “old things in old ways” in this environment. The leadership of the building must have expectations of use and must demonstrate technology use with his/her teachers.
Slowly I have seen more and more adoption of these tools in my school (I’m always impatient with the rate of change in schools). It takes a while for teachers to catch up with these tools. Fortunately, many of the teachers in my building have started to realize that they do not need to have all the answers. This is found in computer skills and with information. They can, and the successful ones do, learn with and from the students. Students have the benefit of time. Many of them teach themselves many skills while they have their computers at home (we do allow the laptops to go home with the kids).
I think I’ve put out more than my 2¢ worth, but I hope these insights are beneficial to your readers.
Mike,
I want to emphasize something you mentioned briefly in your post…
Some say that, with the help of technology, we can do old things in new ways. However, the key in restructuring classrooms, with 1:1 computing or not, is that we shouldn’t be looking for new ways to do the same old things…we should be doing entirely new things. Simply put, restructured schools allow students to dig deeply and learn about things that are of interest and have meaning to them while teachers get out of their way (guide on the side). When 1:1 computing is introduced into such an environment, amazing things happen in student learning.
In short, I agree, it is a matter of “when†not “ifâ€Â. However, if we do not make significant changes in what teaching and learning looks like, 1:1 computing initiatives will only have a marginal impact on student learning.
Mike, Thanks for your note, and also for adding to the discussion the need for visionary leadership. I think that I didn’t mention it, because in the case of the clients I was discussing 1:1 issues with, I do not think that leadership will be a problem. But I also have heard the statement that in Maine, some schools have very successfully implemented contemporary information technology into their culture of learning, and some have been less successful — and that it seems to hinge on leadership.
Thanks again!
— dave —
I just read an responded to a similar posting on http://www.speedofcreativity.org. I am going to post my same comment here because I am hoping to get some good ideas to help with my one-to-one dilema. 🙂
I agree that one-to-one should be the goal and the future of education, but… I am a technology specialist in Irving, Texas, and the school where I teach is in the fifth year of our laptop initiative (as a district we are in the third year). Although I think we have come a long way with the program, we still have some miles to go. I am noticing (and am a little frustrated with) staff who have reached a level of comfort and think they no longer need to grow in regards to teaching and teaching with technology. They integrate technology at a mid-range (LOTI level 3 or so) and think that is good enough. I want to motivate these staff members to continue to grow and be excited about emerging technologies and their applications to the classroom, but I am struggling with how to do this. Unfortunately the pressure to prepare students for the TAKS (our state test) is so high that many teachers feel they have to do the ol’ drill and kill and/or write on paper to get the students prepared. I can’t seem to convince the staff as a whole that the laptops, used effectively, can actually help prepare the students for the TAKS. I just feel that our school (and district) is beginning to stagnate in our one-to-one environment and I am not sure how to pull us out of it and get the “excitement†back that my staff seems to be missing… Any suggestions?
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