Technology in Education

My students have been working on videos about cyberbullying and Darfur.  I have been working on integrating web design, writing, oral communication and video production.  It has not been easy but I see a lot of growth in the students’ skills.  Most are telling MUCH better stories.  The collaboration and the ability to view each others work has definately increased the intensity. 

I do think that video is very under utilized in schools.  We all recognize that almost 100% of the information that students and adults consume is video based, yet we almost never teach video technique–or we separate it into a class for “video production”.  It should be completely integrated.  I shouldn’t get seniors who have never made a video before.

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After reading posts by Will Richardson (about Barrack Obama creating a social network website) and Vicki Davis taking about youtube I was wondering how many schools, universities, or corporations, are using the power of “many voices” to network together.

Email has done wonders to connect us, but is anyone truly creating a working social network in a  school? I think it would be prudent for schools to invest the time to create in-house networks instead of allowing mySpace and youtube to be the exclusive social networks for our students.  We should be using these networks to improve student learning.

Education has certainly been a series of trends.  A few things are obvious in the current trends:

1. Racial and ethnic diversity is increasing.  With that comes language diversity.
2. Writing and reading is being profoundly changed by technology.  The whole read/write web idea is becoming the norm for our students.  Except in the classroom.
3. Authentic expereinces are the norm in law, medical, music, etc..schools.  But it is rare to find authentic experience in secondary or elementary schools (and probably most universities).

Are we converting from a largely written tradition back to an oral tradition?  Will youtube profoundly change how we communicate?  Should we be doing much more grading of the conversation, and less grading of the worksheet?

Currently I am taking my classes to be certified as a school administrator.  I am surprised at how little these issues are talked about.  While we talk a lot about diversity we talk little about the profound technological shifts going on.  I am worried that the next generation of administrators will not be prepared for this challenge.

Two of my favorite brilliant moments from TV you can find on youtube.  The fact that you can find almost anything ever recorded on youtube is amazing. 

But…when the cool wears off, will we be close to big brother?  Are we going to record everything, post everything, view everything?  and then KNOW everything about everyone?

Jesse Jackson reads Dr. Seuss.

Samuel Jackson is a hockey coach.

On another note, did anyone see Michael Jackson (my third Jackson tag of this post) at James Brown’s funeral?  I haven’t figured him out.  But there was definate love in the room for him.  And MC Hammer?  Good show.  With James Brown gone (who was fairly active) are there any true legends left? 

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