Playing around with computers!

A professor once told me; "The real work will always be done the old fashion way, computers are toys used for playing games." No I didn't go to college in 1950's, 60's or the 70's. This was merely 20 years ago. Oh my how far we have come! Our children do not know a life without computers, texting, wireless internet, cell phones, PDA's, Ipods, digital music, video games, ATM cards, email, surfing the internet, etc. Many of us (the adults) can easily remember rotary dial telephones, vinyl records and 8 track tapes. Any Star Trek fans out there? As a kid did you ever think that Captain Kirk's communicator would become a reality? Have you used your cell phone today?
Our staff certainly recognizes the need to prepare students for a future that we cannot see. We must use technology to educate students for two major reasons. 1. It is what they know and in fact that don't know a world without technology. I think about my son, playing the WII or Xbox 360, surfing the internet or learning garageband, then I imagine him in a school that doesn't use technology, I visualize one thing... Charlie Brown's teacher. You know her Mrs. Wah, Wah, Wah. Our kids have to be entertained, engaged and motivated. Have you watched cartoons recently? Commercials are 15 seconds in length and a 30 minute block often contains two separate shows. Why? People get bored! Try using a dial up internet connection after using hi-speed. I bet you throw the computer out the window. 2. School has changed / is changing. Our job is not to fill children's heads with facts, figures and dates. We now teach them application. The information is readily available. Anyone can do a google search and find pretty much anything in a matter of seconds. The real trick is managing and using the information in a productive way. Flexibility is critical, you learn technology and then it is outdated. Americans typically think our country is very advanced and frankly is the best country in the world. The U.S. ranks 20th worldwide in broadband internet penetration. Want more? Think about this;

• The U.S. Department of Labor predicts the average child will have 10-14 jobs before they turn 38.
• We prepare children for jobs that don't yet exist. Using technology that hasn't been created. To solve problems that we don't know about.
• The amount of new technical information doubles every year. Soon this information will double every month or day.
• In 2002 Nintendo, spent $140 million in research. The U.S. Department of Education spent less than half that amount during 2002 researching innovations in teaching.
• The number of text messages sent and received everyday exceeds the population of the earth.

The next time you have your computer in your lap and your child asks, "What are you doing?" Take time to show them and discuss your work. You might just be surprised at their level of expertise.