Technology Issues & Challenges By Helen Mongan-Rallis

What is this? Photo by: Donald Rallis, 2005

What’s in the future? What do you think the future holds for educational technology? (What’s hot now & what do you think will become hot?) Image source:

Information Age Mindset* Computers aren’t technology The Internet is better than TV Reality is no longer real Doing is better than knowing Learning closer to Nintendo than logic Multitasking is a way of life Typing is preferred to handwriting Staying connected is essential There is zero tolerance for delays Consumer and creator are blurring (* Frand, 2000)

Generational Changes Huge challenge facing education - how to deal with variety in learners across generations -- learners who view technology very differently: Maturers Baby boomers Gen-Xers Net Generation (Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005)Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005

Availability of Information Early schools: info was scarce & thus teacher’s role was to convey content. Today: content easily accessed, and thus should not longer be basis of curriculum or teaching. “Shelf-life” of learning shorter & shorter, and rapidly obsolete by the time students enter workforce

Different Focus of Learning Learning constant, time variable (rather than vica versa) -- continuous, lifelong Filtering vs. education for all School as a verb, not noun: shift from school as place to activity Focus on the learning process, not the products Learning by doing, using interactive media that best fit the context

Methods: Teaching & Learning Distance, web-based education Geography no longer limiting factor  in accessing information  schools will be where & when learners are  collaboration anywhere and time Just-in-time learning Not just old ideas using new methods -- also new things previously not possible

Multi-Media & Edutainment Edutainment market - threatens to bypass the formal education system  game based learning  3D immersions  simulations Wireless connectivity Inexpensive, compact technologies Digital media Image source:

The Net Generation “74% of teens have ever used Instant messaging, compared to 47% of adults 1 in 5 teens say that IM is the primary way they communicate with friends Love to multi-task—makes them feel productive and efficient” (Lenhart, 2003)

The Net Generation: Internet & School “ 94% of youth ages who have Internet access say they use the Internet for school research and 78% say they believe the Internet helps them with schoolwork. 71% of online teens say that they used the Internet as the major source for their most recent major school project or report. 41% of online teens say they use and instant messaging to contact teachers or classmates about schoolwork. 34% of online teens have downloaded an online study aid. 18% of online teens say they know of someone who has used the Internet to cheat on a paper or test. ” (Lenhart, 2003)

College Student Use & The Internet 20% of today ’ s college students began using computers between the ages of 5 and 8. By 16 to 18 years old all of today ’ s current college students had begun using computers – and the Internet was a commonplace 73% report using the Internet more than the library; only 9% said they use the library more than the Internet for information searching. 48% are required to use the Internet to contact other students in at least some of their classes. 46% agree that enables them to express ideas to a professor that they would not have expressed in class, though only 19% said is their primary mode of communication with professors. (Lenhart, 2003)

College Student Use & The Internet (cont) 42% say they use the Internet primarily to communicate socially. 33% say the majority of their computer use occurs at school and outside their homes or dorm rooms. 70% say they ’ ve played a video, computer or online game at least “ once in a while. ” Twice as likely to have ever downloaded a music file, and twice as likely to have sent an instant message on a given day than the average Internet user. Far more likely to engage in filesharing and to say that they are unconcerned about copyrights for the music they download or share. (Lenhart, 2003)

Generational Differences 78% of Americans go online In comparison, 63% of all adult Americans go online The Internet and the information and communication tools it offers permeate the lives of teenagers and their parents. (Lenhart, 2003)

The Internet’s Impact 73% of online Americans say their Internet use has improved their ability to learn things 71% of online teenagers say the Internet helps them with schoolwork 55% of parents say it is essential for their children to learn online skills in order to be successful and another 40% of parents think mastery of such skills is important (Lenhart, 2003)

Big decisions made online (1)

Big decisions made online (cont) View the slides from which these past statistics come at:

How Do You Compare? To what extent can you relate to these descriptions about Internet and technology use? Examples:  Use on Internet more than library?  Use Internet to communicate? IM? E- mail? Web-cam?  Make decisions as a result of online info?  Downloading music?  Computer gaming?

Framing the Challenge Challenge presented by new technology tools is not technological, it is philosophical Need to focus on structure of the system, not the tools (Thornburg, 1999)

The Challenges… Technology is not the point, learning is Shift focus of staff development from how to use computer to how to use as tool to improve learning Prepare & invest in technologically competent staff, faculty, & teachers Teachers as co-learners & facilitators of learning, not disseminators of information

Challenges continued… Create alliances & partnerships: P-12, higher ed, business; teachers, admin, & technology coordinators Address digital divide: equitable & universal access Individualized learning plan for every student, with tutorial learning Focus on connected, interdisciplinary learning Prepare lifelong learners

Challenging the Fear Factors… Think “what if?” What if students & teacher could create and upload their own web pages? What if we taught students how to find information, determine its relevancy & accuracy, & then build on it to create something new -- rather than turnitin.com? What if we let students play games -- and even create them? What if there were no filters? What if there were no copyright laws?

Using Appreciative Inquiry Identify what is working - novel ideas you have seen, heard, or read about What factors make these things possible? What can you do to create conditions to make these things possible for others?

In Conclusion… Technology is not the point, learning is How you use technology is more important than if you use it at all

Review Pew Research 2005 Pew Internet & American Life Project:  Pew: Internet & American Life Pew: Internet & American Life  Pew: Internet & Education Pew: Internet & Education

References Frand, J. (2000). The information age mindset: changes in students and implications for higher education. Educause Review 35 (5), Sept/Oct 2000: Hanna, D.E. (2003). Building a vision: Eleven Strategic Challenges for Higher Education. Educause Review.38 (4). July/August 2003: Lenhart, Amanda (2003). Teens, Parents and Technology: Highlights from the Pew Internet Project. Oblinger, D. & J (2005): Is It Age or IT: First Steps Toward Understanding the Net Generation.

References continued… Pew Internet and American Life (2003). The Ever-Shifting Internet Population: A new look at Internet access and the digital divide April 16, 2003 ( port=88 downloaded 10/7/03.) Thornburg, D. (1999). Technology in K-12 Education: Envisioning a New Future. Department of Education White paper.