For a number of years, mobile devices have been lurking in the background of many of our decisions, debates, and questions around education. More recently, they have shimmied out of the shadows and onto the stage -- not quite centre, more like downstage right -- of our educational focus. As Mobile devices have become a key feature of our society, we must reflect this shift in our learning and teaching practices. Nonetheless, a number of hurdles still seem to pop up in our path. For me, these problems seem to centralize around the issue of access. I find myself wondering...
Who are the educational have and have-nots?
Can we safely lend tablets to our students?
Are we creating a two-tiered system?
What about band-width? Will our school districts support it's tech aims with infrastructure?
In Destiny Catalogue, my eBook platform never seems to work...How can we create a workable eBook lending system?
What are issues around consent and privacy when working with younger children?
.... That's all I've got right now. But I'm sure tomorrow a new issue will find its way across my desk.
Now I risk posturing myself as iPad fearful, whereas I infact jump at the opportunity to integrate technology into my lessons and library. I am excited by the new ways of showing what we know, as well as the opportunities for sharing on a classroom level, a school level, a district level, and a public level.
We are seeing so many incredible things happening in education as technology becomes more widely available.
New voices are being heard. I love this First Nation's People's Project in which bands are sharing movies made of their traditions. Super Cool.
Another incredible story featured on Edutopia, is one of a school in the Austrian Alps. Technology allowed this small school to continue its work. Students are able to connect to a wider world via the Internet. As this article was published in 2008, it is unclear as to whether mobile devices have become a significant feature in the Austrian School. Nonetheless, the concept of a connection to more information and ideas is central and vital.
Organisations such as Room to Read and Library for All are using technology to deliver literacy in developing nations. Incredible opportunities are being created for students in these schools. Respire School in Haiti was a recipient of the Library for All project. Read their story here. Respire was ready for this technology and seemingly able to integrate it into their program. Very exciting.
At the same time, we truly need to consider the questions I've aired above. As we travel this yet unforgged road into the future, we will find ourselves having to answer questions we can not yet conceive of.
This summer I had the opportunity to volunteer at a school in Honduras. Nueva Esperanza provides childcare and education to children in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, one of the neediest cities in the world. Children who attend Nueva Esperanza, are incredibly poor. Theirs are single-parent families. Without the support of the school, these single mom's (and occasionally fathers) would likely place their children in orphanages. Nueva Esperanza might benefit from tablets in their school, but the school lacks the resources to pursue such an aim. While staff have cell phones, none can afford Internet connected devices. A primary focus of the school is feeding children and keeping children safe in a neigbourhood with one of the highest crime rates in the world. Where does the finance to setup and support mobile devices factor into this equation? I'm not sure.
Below is a picture taken from a the school in Honduras. I have not included pictures from the school as all my pictures included children and I would like to respect their privacy.
While organisations like Room to Read and Library for All are doing what they can to support international literacy, we would be naive to imagine that most of the world's population is enjoying the level of technological literacy and support that we experience in the first world.
I find myself wondering how Room to Read continues to support its pilot schools after initial start up. I'm curious as to how teacher's in Haiti and Honduras are using these devices when they are available. It is rather exciting that I can explore these ideas in an online community.
I like that we paused to consider this issue. There is so much rich discussion to be had and so many ideas to continue to pursue as our library walls begin their slow collapse...
Video:
http://www.edutopia.org/first-peoples-project-indigenous-technology-video
Thanks for the great reflections. The school where you worked sounds like a valuable resource for a child and his/her parent.
ReplyDeleteRegarding connectivity: I know nothing about this, but my mom says that she can "tether" her iPad to her cell phone and thus gain Internet access by using her data plan. Anyone else know more about this??
Perhaps this is an option for some schools where, unlike in Canada, cell phone plans are less expensive than Internet.
A great post full of wonderful wondering, critical questions, and useful links to programs, examples and schools that are doing this very important work of helping communities around the world get access to knowledge, resources and books to help themselves. You've got that honest reflective tone again that really allows your readers to explore these issues from a more practical perspective. Its really helpful to allow your readers to engage and explore from a deeper perspective.
ReplyDelete