Of course, we are a long way from students having the kind of interactive desks seen in this video. However, if this is the direction in which we are heading, it is useful to find ways in the present to begin embracing the tools we do have that can move us towards our destination. It is important for educators to develop curricula in which students are working with computers to enhance learning and demonstrate their knowledge. An occasional trip to the computer lab will not be enough to accomplish this task, or be enough to properly prepare our students for the reality and economy of the 21st century.
What we can do is attempt to move towards a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio in most classes. This will be challenging for many classrooms, schools, and districts, but technology implementation in education never happens all at once. We need bold educators who can secure the necessary funding and develop curricula that takes advantage of these technologies to support student learning.
However, neither proposition is easy. Even when schools have been able to gain the funding necessary to attempt these types of programs, there have been mixed results. When there are failures, we must learn from them and improve implementation the next time. As much of a fantasy as Corning's video may be, reality is heading in that direction. It is up to educators to be prepared and ahead of the curve, rather than constantly playing catch-up in a way that holds back rather than challenges our students.
Here is a sampling of sources that explore the world of one-to-one computing in education:
Jared,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you that there needs to be an emphasis on getting students more access to technology. It can almost be described as archaic that teachers at many schools have to sign up weeks in advance to get into a computer lab or get a mobile lab. I do think that the true future in 1:1 computing will be in tablet form though. The Day Made of Glass video you have in your post seems to be just larger tablets.