Cell Phones the future of the Internet

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Luff on September 29, 2010 at 1:43pm

I think that we do need to embrace this technology. However, embracing and more importantly integrating technology is no small feat. It takes commitment, creativity, and hard work. Trying to keep technology out of schools is like trying to keep the real world out. Unfortunately, educators are really good at that. Schools and classrooms don't look much different then they did 100 years ago, students in rows facing a chalkboard - maybe a whiteboard now. Students are taught in an environment that bears little resemblance to the real world they live in.

It is not the equipment that will make us cutting edge, it is how we deliver content. If we continue to approach teaching as our teachers did, technology will be nothing but a superfluous tool. Instead, we have to empower students and provide them authentic, engaging real world tasks. We need to let students pose the questions, find the answers, and share what they learned.

As we highlighted in The Spotlight, many SP teachers are already doing this. Keep it up :)

Great topic Mont - now I will step down from the soap box.

Permalink Reply by Mary Rydzewski on September 29, 2010 at 3:50pm

The President of Google was on Charlie Rose talking about cell phones in 5 years. They're ready to launch phones that almost instantly translate languages. Imagine your class talking with Germany or China while the tech translates in real time. He referenced Moore's Law (MAIT grads) and talked about privacy issues as tech collects more and more personal data. One statement of his is worrisome, "computers will make better people..." Your reactions? Is a tech savy person "better" than someone who decides to be "unplugged?" Is the school was the newest tech better than those without?

Permalink Reply by Doreen Lee on September 30, 2010 at 5:13am

I love all the technology, I just worry that it makes the gap between the haves and the have nots bigger. It will be up to the schools to provide the technology devices to keep the playing field level.

Permalink Reply by Mario Montanero on September 30, 2010 at 5:41am

The digital divide always exist but the ability to bridge this gap gets easier all the time. A computer use to cost a school district around $1000, I am sure buy signing the correct contract with the right service provider the actual cell phones might be free.

Permalink Reply by Mario Montanero on September 30, 2010 at 5:32am

Jen,

I agree integrating the technology becomes more important than the technology and the content, and whether it arrives to students in a meaningful way, is the real end game. Bottom line does our integration of technology improve learning. Very complex topic. Just some thoughts, stifling the way we communicate by holding off the inevitable seems counterproductive. These smart phones dictate so much of how the average person in our country lives. Forget the actual phone calls, texting, voice recognition, multimedia, word processing, computing, movies, internet, music, databases, shopping, research, gps navigation, voice to text, games and much much more. All this gets figured out by a child in a few days without an instruction manual.

Condemning this technology is modern day book burning.

Permalink Reply by Mario Montanero on September 30, 2010 at 5:36am

"computers will make better people..." Your reactions? WOW.... Not so sure of the accuracy of that statement he made. I do know this, technology influences and even changes our morality.