Week Six of LIH (Capstone Class)

I enjoyed the readings for this week, and I see a strong correlation between the adaptive technologies and UDL. The screen tools that minimize what appears on the screen when online would be hugely beneficial when teaching young students about using the Internet and finding information. And of course the keyboards, the touch feature in WebConnect, and the use of audio in place of writing would all benefit younger students learning to navigate computers not to mention the special needs students they were desgigned for.

I was fascinated to see the Dr. Martin Luther King, almost 50 years ago, recognized the digital divide. I feel strongly that it is the role of public education to close this divide, to provide students access, and to educate them in the uses (and abuses) of the Internet, social networking, video postings, email, and so forth. In reading the "Digital Divide" article quoting from Pew research, I noted how already the reality has morphed. Recently I read that African-Americans are more likely to access the Internet through mobile devices rather than through a traditional computer. The reality of public education, though, is to be 20 years behind the times. The Virginia state Standards of Learning do exist for computer technology, but those are woefully out of date. Social networks didn't exist when they were written, and there is no opportunity to address mobile device computing since most school districts ban the mobile devices. What I see resulting from the divide is that most of the students, when given free access to the computers, play games. This isn't all bad, but due to filtering and lack of access, these students don't bother blogging, chatting, emailing--all of which I believe they will do as adults in the workforce.

Week Five of LIH (Capstone I)

I wish I had as much fun working on this course as my fifth graders are having working on the biographies. My partner and I had a big snafu for the discussions--not only did this session fall on Superbowl weekend, her home Internet was down over the weekend, and our school district won't let us access any "ning" social networks.

A lot of these digital tools and resources we're looking at would be great to use with students. But we aren't addressing the larger community and especially parental concerns. Yes we have an AUP (acceptable use policy). But I think where technology-driven educators are woefully short-sighted is in convincing the stakeholders, primarily the parents but also lawmakers insisting on these SOLs, that we need to be educating students in, on, with, and through digital tools because it IS there reality. And for those of us who educate at a Title I school, we have an even more urgent responsibility to expose students to these digital tools and resources, especially social networks, email, and online learning because they don't gain experience in these tools at home. So where is our advocacy lesson? Where is our assignment to write to our congress member and demand a re-evaluation of state standards that are content-based and look to more process-based experiences.

I suppose I'm off the topic, but since I am the media specialist and I know what I have budgetary access to and what I don't. I listen to teachers who present ideas to me and investigate what they want before considering purchase, but I also know that some resources are paid for by the district and try though I might to have some input, my opinion is not getting very far.

Sidebar (LIH)

As I was reading this week's assignments, there it was--proof that this Capstone class is NOT designed with media specialists in mind. The assignments on just the first part are to consult with your school's library media specialist on conducting searches.

Now if this course wants to see itself on par with the National Board, then someone needs to wake up to the fact that NB designs certifications specifically for the multiple disciplines. They don't assume we all live and work in the exact same environment.