Technology at School: Peril or Panacea?
Over the last few years there’s been a lot of attention on technology in the classroom, ranging from bridging the digital divide, to providing a laptop for every child. But the news isn't always positive. A recent New York Times article describes how several school districts are cutting back their extensive technology programs because of the many problems the computers caused.
Mark Lawson, school board president of one of the districts which provided laptops to every student, said “After seven years, there was literally no evidence it had any impact on student achievement — none.” He continues, “The teachers were telling us when there’s a one-to-one relationship between the student and the laptop, the box gets in the way. It’s a distraction to the educational process.”
In my work with schools, I’ve seen that technology can be problematic - raising hopes for change, but often difficult to implement effectively.
Computers are underutilized or abandoned for a variety of reasons:
- Overly complex hardware and software with insufficient tech staff to train teachers or troubleshoot
- Lack of funding to support ongoing maintanence and upgrades
- Technology proves to be a distraction, as students use the Internet for instant messaging, inappropriate web surfing, etc.
So with all these potential problems, is technology in the classroom worth pursuing?
Well, it can provide important benefits to students:
- Access to information on the Internet
- Developing computer skills
- Critical training in the use standard office productivity software: word processing, databases, presentation, spreadsheets, graphic design, etc.
So, how does one get the benefits without the headaches? Here are some ideas:
- Have clear, realistic expectations about how the technology will be used. If you’re implementing new technology for the first time, start with basic, easy to maintain equipment.
- Carefully plan out the safeguards and policies you want in place to ensure that students aren’t exposed to adult content or distracting sites.
- When budgeting for the technology, don’t forget to include maintanence and upgrade costs. Make sure funding is in place to cover the true costs of technology over time.
- Look for simple, stable technology solutions, rather than complex ones. If the teachers can’t understand the software, it is likely that many of the students will have trouble as well.
- Train teachers in basic computer troubleshooting and software use. Many problems don’t require a technician, just a little know-how.
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