Educational Technology Bill of Rights for Students
At some point I found this post byCindy Danner-Kuhn. She had posted about the Educational Technology Bill of Rights for Students. The Educational Technology Bill of Rights for Students post was first made by School Technology Solutions. I read it and it was just one of those WOW moments. After trying to figure out my own feelings about some of the points on the list I thought about this class and want to know what YOU think about the post. I come from a time where we did not have computers in classrooms, only in the lab, and an overhead and VCR were fancy. I did not even have an email address until my senior year of high school. Read the link below and tell me what you think. This post is now a few years old is there anything missing?
Educational Technology Bill of Rights for Students
38 Comments
Kennedy Seifert
2/3/2014 01:05:08 am
Wow is right. That is quite a demanding list. I’m not really sure how I feel about it. He begins by saying I have the right to use my own technology at school. This becomes an issue when some students cannot afford the technology that others have. Technology should still be a privilege, especially to the younger students. I also do not agree with number 6. How can you say that teachers should know and be able to use the technology and when to put it away? How do you dictate this when kids are allowed to bring their own technology to school. It also says they should be able to use social media at school because this is how this generation communicates. This should not be the way we communicate! You are at school and around other kids your age for a reason! Using it for reasons pertaining to the class is good but then where do you draw the line and say okay now put it away and as a teacher how to do you monitor when they are using it for socializing and when they are using it for class assignments, etc. Obviously you can see that I am not a big fan of technology. Yes it can be used for education but it also hinders students learning. How many classrooms do you walk by and kids are on their phones and they are on facebook, twitter, instagram, vine, snapchat, and all those other things social media sites. As an example: I did observation hours at Battle High School in Columbia, MO. For those of you that have not been there or heard about it, it is a brand new high school with an enrollment estimated at 1,465 students coming August 2014. Currently it has 1,065 with students in 9-11 grade. At the beginning of the school year, August 2013, every student got their own I-pad. Hearing this you would think that is awesome. Not so awesome for the teachers who constantly complain that they cannot get any teaching done because when they students are supposed to be following along with lessons or doing homework, they are instead playing video games, or on social media. Then comes the point I was making earlier, the teachers cannot take away the I-pads that were given to the students to use for class. That would contradict the whole point of giving them an I-pad in the first place. Allowing the students to have their own technology in schools is tempting them to use it for reasons other than learning. I am indifferent about this article. It all comes down to how you manage it, how you dictate it, and where you draw the line.
Reply
Travis Tompson
2/3/2014 03:13:23 am
Kennedy,
Reply
Carl Richburg
2/4/2014 02:36:22 am
The problem with just giving kids Ipads, is that there should be a required "teaching" class to the students to get them to learn the do's and don'ts of the Ipad. Tell them what they are and aren't allowed to do in the beginning, so that the consequences are clear to those that don't follow. School I worked for did this, and with my class I would let them use it freely after completing assignments. I noticed more quality work, and more focus to complete assignments to the best of their ability instead of just working for 2 minutes, messing around for 4 minutes, working for 2 mins....etc. Also, threatening them with the "we have a program that shows us how long you stay on each site" didn't hurt to use as well!
Kennedy Seifert
2/4/2014 05:25:21 am
Travis,
Prof. Myers
2/6/2014 11:40:47 am
With this being a new thing for CPS I am sure that there is some learning that goes with it for all parties involved. How many teachers did you observe? I know that I have worked with teachers that can manage technology in their classrooms and others that can't. You have to stay on top of the kids. I have to admit that I am the teacher that is checking/sending emails during meetings.
Gino Bullock
2/5/2014 11:18:57 am
As I read your response I have to agree with you. I don't think there is a simple answer to this problem. Technology is good and can be a great teaching tool if used in the right capacity. The problem is when you allow students to use things like I pads, Computers, you run the risk of them using these devices for everything except what they are intended for. Although I think technology is good without supervision and close monitoring I don't think it will yield positive results in our classrooms.
Reply
Travis Tompson
2/3/2014 03:02:52 am
As I can see, there are a lot of pluses to the list but also several minuses that should be addressed. For the plus side, I do believe students have the right to use their own new technologies for their advancement in school. For the less experienced technologically inept people (including teachers) a student bringing in a new piece of technology (like a new camera) can teach many of their peers how to use this device. This in turn could cause the teacher to use said device in their classrooms (assigning the student to make a short film on the unit they are on). This will get students excited to use technology in a school setting without it being a distraction. However, the negative side is that it will most likely become a distraction anyway. The schools that have the best policies on how students can use technology will outlast the schools that either do not promote technology, or over use it (like Kennedy's post). One other positive is that students definitely have the right to submit digital artifacts that prove their understanding of a subject. As long as this artifact was created by the student, and then presented so as to prove their knowledge, then they should be able to do so. With so many new ways to do assignments, all students should have the opportunity to see these in action before they get to college. Another negative is the use of Wikipedia as a source, which I think needs to remain. It is so simple to scroll along a Wikipedia page, click on the little numbers they have to source each item, and then follow that link to the requested information from the ORIGINAL source. Too many words could be changed in the course of retelling information without it being sourced, which in some cases on Wikipedia, most of the page is unsourced.
Reply
Prof. Myers
2/6/2014 11:45:11 am
Wikipedia should NEVER be a source and I don't use it as a source in class. I do sometimes look up something on it at home but just "fun" stuff. I have told students to check Wikipedia if they have no idea were to start and use the places that have been sighted on the page.
Reply
Dustin Ray
2/3/2014 11:31:30 pm
That was a very interesting article. I would have never thought of technology that way. I like how the author talked about helping students understand how to use their new world of technology. She is correct, just because they do not always know how to use the technology, doesn't mean that we cant use it. There are many teachers in society today that do not use technology because they didn't use it when they first started. Student today want to see that new way of teaching. If it is available, use it. Let the students use it too. IF they know how to make powerpoints and use prezi, then by all means, let them. Teachers, I know that you don't want students on their cell phones while you are teaching lessons, but is it always bad? If they have WiFi there for people to use, why cant your students use it? In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with students using what they have to better themselves. Are there downfalls? Yes there are, but doesn't the good outweigh the bad?
Reply
Gino Bullock
2/5/2014 11:31:38 am
Dustin, I think they should be able to use technology that is accessible to them however, when you create other methods of educating you also have to provide an avenue of preparation for the educators themselves. You also have to make sure you have adequate staff to address any issues that may arise with the additional use of different types of technology. I think its going to cost the taxpayer more because the school will have to hire a tech staff to deal with issues like maintenance, security, monitoring, and inventory of equipment just to name a few.
Reply
Prof. Myers
2/6/2014 11:48:41 am
Gino most schools have those people now. You have to have them just to keep up with the teach computers and other "teacher" technology. There are even companies that smaller districts higher to take care of these things. (I have several opinions about those that is another topic all together)
Carl Richburg
2/4/2014 02:19:05 am
This is a good list of ideas for Student-Centered learning. "I have the right to access the school's WiFi, if i can get on WiFi at McDonalds, I should be able to get online at school"... well you can wear a derogatory shirt at McDonalds, does that mean you should be able to at school...if you're just searching on instagram and another student's wifi is slow trying to research for a project..is that fair? I don't mind using the social media in between classes, or if the teacher allows for it after you complete your work. I also understand what the student is saying about wanting "instant feedback." The problem with that is, there are jobs out there where you have to get a project done by a certain time, and they will only look at the final result, not check on your progress throughout, so you just need to deal with it. As a student, as soon as you learn a bit of information would you want an instant test? #9 & #10 I agree with as students do have the right to be protected from technology and they should be taught by teachers that are passionate and embrace the use of technology. Time to get some of the "old" way of thinking out and establish fresh ideas. All in all I understand and agree with the majority of the list, even though the wording could be better. Getting everyone to buy in would be a challenge, and it would take some time to see results as students, teachers, staff, parents, would all need to change their mindset a little bit for this to work.
Reply
Jacqui Cappuccilli
2/5/2014 01:22:12 pm
I agree with a lot of this. I ike the example you use about the deragatory shirt being worn at mcdonalds vs. school. I also agree with out with the old and in with the new. Another good point that carl brings up is that the article could have been worded different. However I dont all in all agee with this but I do think that it will take a great challenge to get everyone on board like carl stated.
Reply
Tyler Reece
2/7/2014 01:10:12 am
I like your points for the list and this makes a lot sense to me. One thing I thought of about the McDonalds and school comparison was the ability to refuse service to anyone. Now I am not saying the school has this exact right, but they do determine there own policy and procedures to follow. It is difficult to say what exactly is your rights as a student when everything is determined by school employees. I think there needs to be more communication with the public and family's that have members attending the school. That way just like when other rights documents have been forged the people have a voice of there own. I think that is the only way they could get this to pass.
Reply
Brad Howell
2/8/2014 01:53:43 am
For the most part I completely agree with everything stated in the article. I believe that technology should not be hidden or put on the back burner. I think with how fast technology is expanding we would be doing more harm than good if we were to try and resist. I think the best thing to do is to take advantage of the new technology, this should help draw the students in closer. There are a couple things i have a problem with though. First, the argument that McDonalds has WIFI so we schools should too. Partially i think, yes this should be the case, but not completely. McDonalds is not trying to teach you how to prepare yourself for the future. They are serving you cheap food. The wifi is just there to bring you in. I think if schools were to have unlimited wifi this could keep students from listening to the important things when the technology is not being used. Lastly, I do not agree that wikipedia should be able to be used as a resource. It may be an acceptable place to start but not a main source.
Prof. Myers
2/9/2014 02:29:10 am
Tyler in lots of ways schools DO have that right. Parents have to give permission for their students to use the internet/computers at school. If we don't have parent permission they are not able to log on. (at CPS we lock them out at the district level). If a student is in violation of the expectations for computer/internet usage then they are no longer aloud to use them. I have a policy that if you are not doing what you should be you are off the computer for the rest of that class time. If you are a repeat offender I will make an alternate non computer assignment for you to do ( it never has come to this).
Shari
2/7/2014 08:02:54 am
Hi, Carl,
Reply
James French
2/4/2014 01:16:23 pm
I have to say Whoa instead of Wow. I was feeling offended by the end of the post. Joking aside, I feel this was written by someone who embraces technology completely. However, life is more than being able to use technology. Schools are charged with promoting youth to become productive members of society. The simple fact that a person knows how to make a post on Facebook does not mean they are productive to society. Sometimes I feel this world of connectedness has actually promoted more selfishness. With 1. all I can think of is those kids in school that had the latest Nike shoes. Just because you can doesn't mean you should in all cases. 2. Wifi is not something that should be in place in a school at all times due to there being times that focus should be on the instructor or the lesson being taught. Wifi should be able to be turned on or off as needed. 3. Submitting responses as the student sees fit. Where to start with this one. Schools are training employees, Bosses won't like this. 4. I actually love this one. Collective knowledge. 5. No one lives at school, You live at home, that is where you should go to play Farmville. 6. Competent instructors should always be a priority. However, priority should be placed on subject materials mastery over being able to use technology. Afterall, who will make new technology if people can only learn from existing technology. 7. Good luck finding a job where you can text as you please and utilize social media. 8. Instructors that can grade quickly can provide quick feedback. Instant gratification is not necessary as this is not realistic in all facets of life. 9. I actually kinda like this one. 10. Technology can be a tool to help reach various learning styles. However, it can not replace passion about subject matter. By abiding by this people would be missing out on knowledge. I know I may be very biased on my post. Technology has touched all of our lives since man invented tools such as using rocks and logs to complete work. people looked at that first guy weird but over time they all decided it was working pretty good. This bill of rights will go this way but I feel it is ahead of it's time. I still like using rocks and logs.
Reply
Shari
2/7/2014 07:59:24 am
James,
Reply
Gary Jones
2/5/2014 07:55:06 am
I can see where these commandments can be useful from a student’s point of view. At the same time I can see where a teacher may have a strong opinion about students having technology readily available at their fingertips. From a student’s stand point it’s everything we would ever want in school. Bringing out new electronics, hooking up to the Wi-Fi for internet. Classes would be less boring but will students pay more attention? When I was in school it was about passing notes and when I graduated texting was getting big. Now I feel everyone has and phone and everyone is texting. From a teachers stand point I can see where these devices would be a distraction for the students learning. I’m sure there are many new techniques to keeping technology fun and educational but at the same time non distracting. I would also worry about these devices being stolen. At what grade level do you allow a child to be able to bring a $300 or more piece of technology to school and would they be responsible enough to take care of it? Both stand points have their pros and cons it’s just finding a middle ground and common understanding that will allow technology to intermingle with students in the class room without interruption.
Reply
April
2/9/2014 03:50:46 am
Gary you made some great comments that I had not even thought about. I agree with you on the technology that children are given and at what age are they responsible enough to transport this technology with them on a daily basis. Also is the student or the school responsible for this technology if it is damaged or stolen? Good comments.
Reply
Christopher Doak
2/5/2014 08:49:39 am
So this was an interesting article. There were some things that I liked about it and then there were something's that I didn't like about it. I think if your able to use technology then there should be the same technology for everyone to use. There are some kids out there that can't afford things like this. If they cant afford and have nothing to bring to school while other kids have mac's and dells or some other high price then there starts bulling. The other thing is that I do think that using technology in schools and using twitter and Facebook during class I think that it will be a big distraction. It might be useful for a while but then people are just going to be playing games or just looking and playing on these websites. I do like the part he talks about using Wikipedia and other search engines. Sometimes these things aren't always wrong. All in all I do like it because I think that technology should be used in all classrooms. If you can use it successfully then you can make a class successful.
Reply
James French
2/8/2014 03:03:48 am
There are many students who come to school to get food. Ipods, notebooks, and cell phones are not on their list of needs. Just because technology exists does not mean everyone is entitled to it. My car is old because there are new ones does that mean it is my right to have one, after all, it is more efficient.
Reply
Kim Holifield
2/5/2014 09:20:05 am
I was honestly amazed when I began reading this. I have to say I disagree with most of it. As a parent of a young elementary student who does not own his own tablet, phone or iPod, I don't feel the necessity to consume these young children's lives with such technology. As I have worked in the elementary, I have observed and myself used technology in the classroom. With this being said, I don't feel students are lacking use or further knowledge of how to use our generation's technology. In our building, each student has 'Computer Lab' as a special class and get to use computers and/or iPads in rotation during "center time." Kindergarteners are taught the basics of using a computer and getting online. Throughout the day, teachers use Smart Boards for their lessons and actively involve their students in participation using the board. So our students are getting use of technology without overuse. I have watched my 7 year old go through the phase of wanting to play a game on my phone. This has the potential to be a great thing, like when waiting at the doctor's office. But when it becomes such a habit that he is asking to play a game on my phone when we are at home and is fully capable of playing with a friend, a game, or even toys, then it has gone too far. Also, I don't feel students should be allowed to bring their devices to school for protection purposes. I have watched too many items get broken and stolen in elementary. I would hate to see a student lose a $200 device they could have just left home. But I do agree with 6 and 10. Teachers should know when to put away technology and work either in workbooks, one-on-one or hands-on with the class. Just as well, teachers should be up-to-date with technology and how to use it to teach their students. Teachers do go to seminars and workshops to learn these things and should be kept up for their students' sake. I like to think most teachers are up-to-date with technology and use it properly in their classrooms, but I think there are some stubborn teachers out there that choose to use the bare minimum of the technology they are offered.
Reply
Lyndsey Talbot
2/5/2014 11:04:45 am
Kim, you make some very valid points. I do not have kids myself, but am around many young children in my family that I see first-hand how technology use can get out of hand. Three and four year olds getting sucked in to a game on the phone, ignoring everything around them. I hate to see that when they could be outside or playing with their siblings or toys. On the other hand, I feel older children need to be exposed to as much technology as possible to aid in their learning, because that is how they will be learning their entire future and career ahead. In my experience, there are too many teachers that are stuck in their ways when it comes to new technology and ways to learn, and that can hinder the learning experience. I definitely can agree with your post!
Reply
Prof. Myers
2/6/2014 11:58:02 am
iPad/Computer time is a privilege at my house and not a right. My 8 and 4 year old get one 15 min turn a day. Lots of days they never use it. The love to read and play with logos. They are also limited on the TV they can watch. When one of the kids is in trouble electronics are the first privilege they use. My 8 year old is in 3rd grade in Fayette and she can do so much on a computer and it is because she learned it at school. She loves to type stories in MS Word and she knows how to open the program and save with no help from me. She learned how to do it at school.
Lyndsey Talbot
2/5/2014 10:57:31 am
What a very interesting article I can see, and would be able to argue both sides of this article quite well. I am very active with social media and feel that if used properly it could be a wonderful educational tool. I absolutely agree with him about being taught and forced to learn in such a way that will help kids in the work world now. Social media and technology is such a HUGE part of today's society, no matter what job you are talking about. However, I do feel that if not controlled and monitored that the use of personal technology at school would be very counter-productive. If there was some way that a school could turn the wifi and data accessibilty off during times it is not needed, this would help a lot. I do believe that if teachers used social media for classes (i.e. reminders, assignments, quizzes) they would find an increase in their students level of work. This goes completely against the 'old school' way of learning, but I think that everyone can agree that we are living in a different time, whether we want to or not.
Reply
Gino Bullock
2/5/2014 11:01:52 am
After reading this article I think I am torn. There are some very strong and convincing arguments to necessitates within the school setting. Although I support some of the demands posted by the author, I am also holding up the caution flag. I also think there are some fundamental flaws with the plan. In regards to the positive aspects of this plan, I think as technology changes we must change. In this world technology is evolving at a rapid rate. when I was in school we used an overhead projector and a chalk board to help educate the students. Although these methods still exists there are more conventional methods that will grab the students attention in a more gravitating way. I do however agree with the author that something like social media will change the landscape of education. If teachers for instance put vocab words on twitter or instagram students would receive the information as it is being posted and would be able to respond accordingly because of their knowledge with these systems. Now on the flip side of this argument there are somethings that are concerning and could be problematic. I think when you let students bring in or use their own technology you create a divide between the students that can afford the technology and the students that cannot. Another problem I see is allowing students to access and use WIFI in school. I think this allows students to much freedom to the open internet. Now some would say you can monitor and safeguard the internet with parameters but all that does is create more work for staff members. When you ask staff members to do additional work then they focus less on the classroom piece.
Reply
Jacqui Cappuccilli
2/5/2014 01:16:36 pm
This article was very interesting to me. I dont believe that anybody should go about stating what they should and shouldnt be able to do at school, especially regarding techonology and how someone should teach them. However I do agree that teachers do need to become more up to date, not so much as allowing kids to do whatever they want on technology. This article talked about how teachers need to use social media for homework. In some cases i believe that this could work. However I believe that you should only do this in a upper level class setting. Overall I dont agree with this email however this might just be because im not a big technology person, but teachers could be more up to date with todays technology. Our society is changing and those from the older days need to be less resistance to what we have available now.
Reply
Chris Doak
2/9/2014 08:37:01 am
Jacqui,
Reply
Prof. Myers
2/6/2014 12:01:07 pm
I love the conversation that this starts. There are no right or wrong answers. I think that each teacher has to find what works for them and that each school and district have their own ways of dealing with technology. I feel having set rules that ALL teachers follow is the key.
Reply
James French
2/8/2014 02:59:34 am
I can see where differences can develop according to a school's accessibility to funding. This would then in-turn require policies to be written into a program to show what the rights and responsibilities are. I am not sure many students are actually mature enough to allow full access in the school at all times. In the workplace many adults are not mature enough to not utilize the technology they poses when there not supposed to. texting while driving is distracting a person from the topic at hand much like social media in the school would be distracting to students.
Reply
Tyler Reece
2/7/2014 01:02:09 am
This was an interesting article. Some of the demands have to sides to them that I think need to be thought about. The use of personal technology is one. For one thing math courses only allow certain calculators since advanced calculators can allow them to cheat. Is this not the same as in other classes. Anyone with a tablet and google can answer most questions without having to learn anything. Plus this puts other students at a disadvantage if your family can not afford such things. Another thing I found interesting was access to social media. I think this is a bad idea for one if you are in the class with the teacher you need to be able to communicate face to face. I think this is a characteristic that is lacking with this generation. Most jobs require being able to speak to people if not groups of people. Texting or tweeting will not help them with this skill. Now social media can be used but it should be in a technology course in a constructive manner. I do agree some changes could be made but all situations should be considered with these rights.
Reply
Shari Harrington
2/7/2014 07:55:16 am
While I understand that students have the right to demand and expect certain things of their teachers and their quality of education, there are a couple of points that are problematic. First, students should NOT ever, ever cite Wikipedia. Yes, Wikipedia has made efforts in the last few years to make the contributions and changes traceable, but that still does not mean the information is reliable. A student cannot deem something that's unreliable from the moment it's posted reliable. Part of educating students about technology is also teaching them how to use it properly, analyze the site the information is coming from, and evaluate it. Allowing them to cite Wikipedia would do none of those things. Second, it takes quite a bit to manage the technology at a school. My husband managed the Concordia and Leeton schools for a few months, and the bandwidth is an issue. Students are always able to access technology, but some schools don't have enough bandwidth to support all of the students and the programs that need to run. It's no fault of the anyone's, but some schools can't afford to pay more for bandwidth and internet. Students ultimately suffer when funding is low in many areas of their school, but I agree, they do have a right to those things; they just may not always get it. On a positive note, the first point I think could also turn into a great learning moment for the class if the student is willing to share the technology. That one, I believe,is a fair demand.
Reply
James French
2/8/2014 02:55:05 am
The Department of Mental Health also has bandwidth problems to deal with. This is in a facility that does not allow the use of cellphones and bans even having them on your person. Many schools are rural and infrastructure may not exist to get them access to the latest and greatest hotspots. To simply state this is a right is a thinking error due to it not being possible with existing technology.
Reply
Shari
2/9/2014 03:36:08 am
I still think it's okay to state it as a right because even though the vast amounts of bandwidth isn't available, students still have a right to expect to be able to use it to its fullest potential.
April
2/9/2014 03:48:50 am
This was an interesting article. I was shocked by some of it and it definitely seemed very demanding. I am not sure that it is all completely a good idea. I do believe that schools should teach technology to the students so they are able to use these in real life. However, where do we draws the line. Is it our responsibility to show them how to use Facebook? I disagree with Wikapedia because I believe this is across the books disagreed as a reliable source in education. I think there are things that students should be provided with but there must be a line drawn and some give and take.
Reply
Dustin Ray
2/9/2014 09:28:15 am
Tyler,
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Class BlogThis blog is for class conversations for Ed 514 at Central Methodist University. We invite input form other teachers about how they use technology in their classrooms. Archives
March 2015
Categories
All
|