THE Journal, the free edtech ad-delivery system, speculates on what will be five K12 technology trends for next year.
- eBooks Will Continue to Proliferate
- Netbook Functionality Will Grow
- More Teachers Will Use Interactive Whiteboards
- Personal Devices Will Infiltrate the Classroom
- Technology Will Enable Tailored Curricula
Four items about hardware, one related to instruction.
That pretty well illustrates one big reason why technology has had so little effect on teaching and learning inside the walls of our schools.
We keep bringing in all these cool new devices and claiming that they will “enable” change.
And at the same time we continue to use the same traditional, teacher-directed educational structure – with some technology grafted on the side when it’s convenient or for a reward when we’re done with the “real” work.
You might also notice that items 1, 2, and 4 are all items that make personal connectivity and learning possible anywhere, not just in a formal school setting.
While number 3 represents a slightly digital version of the classic classroom arrangement with the focus anchored in one spot, the one most often occupied by the teacher.
It’s the essential difficulty ruling the educational world. The tech changes are a tidal wave, and yet no one knows how to change the teacher-student relationship thoroughly enough and effectively enough that the tech changes can flow into the relationship smoothly as opposed to flooding in destructo-creatively.
I wish you and all my colleagues luck with that.