A year ago during our planning phases of 1:1 we had predicted students would eventually come to school with shinny new devices they had received from under the Christmas Tree. Therefore, I shouldn't have been surprised when I returned to school after break to smiling faces telling me "guess what Mr. Braymer, I got an ipod touch for Christmas!" I just hadn't thought it would happen so soon. I currently have nine desktop computers in my classroom, so as far as the normal fourth grade room goes I have more than most. But, with 25 students using them it can be difficult to manage. With several students bringing their ipod touches, and nooks to school it noticeably frees up computers for other students. Thanks parents!
This lead me to another thought. We have been learning about the lumber era and how technology advancements lead to deforestation, and ultimately the end of unsustainable logging practices as they were known. In short, technology lead to a complete overhaul in the way the lumber business was operated. Why? because it didn't make sense to continue doing the job the way it was currently being done.
So, here we stand on the threshold of a massive change in the way educational practices have always been performed. For so long the teacher has been the giver of information; the lead person with all the knowledge. Now, it is obvious that technology has changed that matrix. Zeeland has begun this journey as a leading player by putting such powerful devices in the hands of students. These portable devices are forcing the education world into an overhaul of they way educators deliver content. With these machines in the hands of our students, only time will tell how quickly we can innovate our practices to look more like the future that our students will be living in. One thing is for sure; the information is at every one's finger tips all the time.
