6 Technology Challenges Facing Education
Ed Tech Trends | News 6 Technology Challenges Facing Education Despite increasingly widespread adoption of technologies in virtually every aspect of K-12 education, significant challenges are preventing widespread effective implementation. " The NMC Horizon Report: 2013 K-12 Edition ," put together by the New Media Consortium as part of the Horizon Project , identifies key emerging issues in education technology using primary and secondary research and input from an advisory board comprising "internationally recognized practitioners and experts" in ed tech. In past reports, those challenges have centered largely on reluctance on the part of administrators and teachers, lack of preparation, and lack of support or funding. Challenge 1: professional development . "All too often, when schools mandate the use of a specific technology, teachers are left without the tools (and often skills) to effectively integrate the new capabilities into their teaching methods," according to the report.
5 Solutions for Your Tablet Management Woes
SmartBrief Exclusive Preview 5 Solutions for Your Tablet Management Woes IT leaders describe their top 5 pain points in managing iPads and other tablets--and how they are addressing the challenges. This article appears in the June 2013 issue of T.H.E. Journal. At the end of the 2010-2011 school year, the San Diego Unified School District (CA) had 10,000 iPads in use and was set to add 18,000 more the next semester. Like San Diego, school districts around the country are realizing that managing tablets brings a host of new--and time-consuming--headaches. But Sam Gliksman, the author of iPad in Education for Dummies, says this deficiency was apparent from the get-go. T.H.E. 1) Inventory and Asset Tracking The most basic need with tablet deployments is asset tracking. Encinitas is creating a system in Filemaker Pro that will inventory all the technology equipment in the district, but needs to customize it for the data required to track iPads.
iPad or Chromebook: 4 Questions To Ask Before Choosing
Crude mashup for your enjoyment. For the past few days, I’ve been playing with a Chromebook. Though I have been an advocate of Google’s myriad web products since the beta-test Gmail account that I was invited to open over 10 years ago, I had not previously put my hands on one of these devices. I may be in love. This may come as a shock since I have spent the past two years completely immersed in iPads. With schools and districts across the country, there seems to be this preconception that a single relationship exists with regard to technology, and in particular, with regard to making a decision about mobile devices. However, my colleagues at EdTechTeacher and I think that rather than asking which device should my school use, the more poignant question may be ‘what do I want my students to do?’ Why? More often than not, the answer is access. For right now, let’s focus on iPads and Chrome Books as they seem to be the leading contenders in the device debate. What do I want my students to do?
10 steps technology directors can take to stay relevant SmartBlogs
The role of the typical school district technology director has become obsolete. Speak with your average teacher in many school districts in the U.S., and you’ll find the technology department is better known for getting in the way than for serving the educational needs of both staff and students. Many technology departments, led by obsolete tech directors, are inadvertently inhibiting learning. The mantra of “lock it and block it” no longer works in a 21st century digital learning environment. Do how can technology directors avoid becoming obsolete? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Students and staff need technology directors that have not made themselves obsolete. Tom Murray serves as the director of technology and cybereducation for the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, Pa.
The Single Most Important Factor for iPad Success in Schools
When you think of iPads in schools, you probably think of a cart that's wheeled into a classroom. Youngsters cheer at the arrival of the cart. Devices are passed out, used for a lesson, and then returned to the cart. Having a cart of devices puts the adults in charge of the technology. The Technology Enhanced Learning Research Group, lead by Kevin Burden from the University of Hull, investigated the use of iPads at eight different schools in Scotland. The researchers found that "personal 'ownership' of the device is seen as the single most important factor for successful use of this technology." The study also found that teachers using iPads changed their approach to teaching. more collaborationmore creative expressiona strong learning communitybetter support for students of all abilitiesstudents take it upon themselves to teach and coach each other higher quality of teaching perceived by studentsteachers give better feedback to students about their learning schooltechnology.org
