“School of the Future”
So while scrolling through my many many articles that have flooded my google account, I stumbled across one that I found very interesting regarding the increase of technology in classrooms, with statements from Bill Gates implying what Microsoft is doing to help improve the technology.
One of the points that the article made that I found very thought provoking was this:
Teachers may have trouble keeping up with students who are already using devices such as the Xbox Live gaming system at their homes, Gates said.
“When they [students] come back into the classroom and there’s a chalkboard there, that teacher has a hard time living up to the level of drama and richness,” he said.
This statement is very true. How can a teacher keep the students’ interest when they are competing with this technology that the students deal with day to day, by their own choice. Well, one of the things that Microsoft is doing is partnering with various school districts to build high-schools that are being referred to as a “School of the Future.”
In Philadelphia, the company joined the city’s school district and built a 750-student high school — called a School of the Future — that focuses on how technology can improve student performance. It opened in September 2006. The company provided technical guidance, which included the building of a secure Web portal for parents and students for access to assignments, class schedules and grades.
So, not only are these schools opening up a new world for technological advances in providing students with information for classroom assignments and activities, but they are also directing the same resource towards parents to keep them informed of what their students are doing in the classroom. In the locations where these schools have been placed, the students’ acheivements and grades have shown an improvement.
Even though however, the article only points out a couple of things that make these schools a bit more advanced, it is pretty easy to imagine what this one step will lead to in the future for technology that will become available to educators in the future.
Microsoft Backs Classroom Technology Programs
by JEREMY KIRK
February 1, 2007
I really like this idea (and that you FINALLY updated!!!). This is just one more piece of evidence that technology is a terrific tool to use in the classroom. Now we just need to get the funding to get that technology in every school!
Wishful thinking, I know.
Good find, Dana!
Your blog entree was very interesting to me. I can also see technology from both of these points of view. I can see that technology can really help us to make things better in schools. Useing technology to aid in letting students look at and do their assingments, help the teachers grade and make assingments, and help parents be more envolved in their students school experience. But I can also see the teachers point of veiw that trying to live up to the high expectations of being equals to cool video games and things like that. How can we ever be as interesting as playing Super Mario World huh? Maybe we as teachers will just have to come up with more interesting was to present materials to the students, useing this new fangled technology. I think this can really only bring good things into our future. I think that all arund technology will be a good thing for everyone!
Hi Dana!
I read your blog entry and I found it to be thought-provoking as well, mainly because I can understand the struggle within educational systems to become more technologically advanced in a world that everyday continues to grow in this way. Every place a person looks now they will see how technology is constantly influencing society in general, regardless of students who are pretty much raised on new trends in these industries. I think that the idea of having schools more adept to technological advances would be beneficial, but is Bill Gates going to fund to schools who can’t afford something like this? Would this be something that is available one school per district that only certain students can attend? I guess trying it out to see how it works is first but I’m curious to see where this would go in the long run and how some school districts would be able to afford it. But overall, I think that it would be a very good idea because students now are much more in tune with the newest forms of technology and therefore, adding this to a classroom setting has great possibilities of being successful and beneficial. So hopefully Gates will finally give up more of that fortune to schools! He’s got enough!
I am very hopeful that districts and individual teachers will be excited to find ways to incorporate new technology into the classroom. I think that our students will always be one step ahead as far as state of the art technology goes. Systems become obsolete before they are even installed, but I think that an innovative teacher can find a way to integrate some form of technology into any subject. There are many untapped resources to help finance this technology, but I don’t think that the types of technology necessary need to have a big price tag. We, as teachers, need to be innovative and creative when it comes to incorporating technology into our curriculum. I think that courses and teachers that make this effort will be more successful (and just plain fun!) for the students.
this school sounds so interesting. i think that it is definitely a step in the right direction. however, not all schools are going to be able to live up to technological advancements. it just makes me nervous that these kids are going to get so much more of a headstart than students who can’t go to this school. but, i guess thats why we need to hope for more charitable partnerships like this in the future. but when looking at just this one school it creates a great sense of hope that schools can do what we need them to do, we just need to give them the right equipment. it sounds like an amzing accomplishment and hopefully it will lead to more schools like this in the future…for the future.
[...] Comment Deux Comment Trois Comment Quatre Comment Cinq Comment Six Comment Sept Comment Huit Comment Neuf Comment DIX! [...]
Comments « The only thing to do is jump over the moon… said this on April 14, 2007 at 9:38 pm
As an older, non traditional student, I’ve often wondered if it will be more difficult for me to get a job when I graduate than you younger students. However, hopefully I’ll have an advantage over some other “older” people in the job search because I’ve had the experience creating a blog, website (through another class), and have learned more about technology, and ways to use it in the classroom, beyond Power Point. Being a parent myself, I am aware of how technology has impacted the younger generation through video games (I even like to play them with my kids), Instant Messaging, cell phones, computers, Myspace, Ipods, and everything else I can’t think of right now. Kids are not as apt to pick up a book anymore to read just for the heck of it…at least mine aren’t. But, they’ll sit at the computer for hours, or play video games. Attention spans are shorter; kids are pros at multi-tasking, and, as teachers, we will need to be innovative and creative in our teaching styles and methods to keep kids engaged. That’s why I appreciated the sessions I attended at the conference yesterday dealing with virtual interactive learning and using technology and Myspace as a tool in writing and Literature classrooms. I have a great appreciation for the older teachers who haven’t gotten so stuck in their ways and have been willing to change teaching methods as kids, technology, and society have changed.
[...] http://dana071287.wordpress.com/2007/02/01/school-of-the-future/#comment-20 [...]
My Comments throughout the semester « Thoughts Opinions and Reality said this on April 15, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Dana-
Apparently this is a popular commenting post – so I’ll go right along and contribute!
Where to start… where to start…
YAY TECHNOLOGY!
I’m so excited that you decided to post something about using technology in the classroom. And, I’m even more excited that people other than us are really thinking about using technology as part of our “schools of the future.” Personally, as I’m sure I’ve made clear throughout the semester, I really feel like there is a place for technology in our classrooms, even now. I completely agree with the people that have commented above, and especially with what Kristie said about how it’s great that “older” teachers have been able to step out of the box. There are so many ways to use technology in the classroom. Teachers can use MySpace, Ipods, etc etc etc. I’m sure there’s even a place in there for video games, like this article suggested. I’m just so thrilled that people in power are taking responsibility to incorporate technology in schools. I just hope that the government will actual listen to these people in power, since they are having a grave amount of trouble listening to actual teachers in the classroom.
[...] 10) Comment to Dana on “Schools of the Future” [...]
From Me To You. « I Come With My Own Soundtrack said this on April 15, 2007 at 8:02 pm
[...] comment on Dana’s [...]
A Splurge of Comments « Always searching for inspiration… said this on April 16, 2007 at 1:25 pm
[...] http://dana071287.wordpress.com/2007/02/01/school-of-the-future/#comments [...]
Eng 310 Comments « pigsney said this on April 17, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I think that technology is an awesome tool to be used for educating students, as your article points out many of them already know how to use an Xbox or a playstation. Teaching students through means that they already know is a great way to reach them. However, when it comes to the students being bored when all that they have available is a chalkboard, who’s fault is that? Just because a student may not have access to up to date technology does not give them the right to become bored and not care about what they do have available.
[...] Comment Four [...]
Comments « MySpace or TheirSpace? said this on April 19, 2007 at 12:44 am