MSTU4005 Equity, Ethical, and Social Issues in Educational Technology

 

Test page -- to experiment with

 

 

School Websites from Class Members

The Willow School, Gladstone, NJ -- Judy Hnat

         Lower Merion School District, Ardmore, PA -- Jason Fritz

         Smithtown Central School District, Smithtown, NY-- Christine Gardella

         Bert Corona Charter School, Pacoima, CA -- Jonathan Tiongco 

         International Network for Public Schools

         Saint Saviour High School , Brooklyn, NY - Anthony Tricarico        

         Punahou School, Honolulu HI --Emily McCarren 

         The Bement School, Deerfield, MA -- Dean J. Fusto

         Fifteenth Avenue School, Newark, NJ -- Esther Lewars

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News in Schools/Opinion Pieces:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/education/01educnj.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=new%20jersey%20online%20education&st=cse 

Schools Won’t Require Online Class. Yet.

Interesting peice on virtual schools and virtual schooling across America but focusing on the push to require online classes in New Jersey.

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google

Is Google making us stupid?- One writer's take on how technology may be displacing some of our most basic cognitive capabilities

 

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=54429;_hbguid=3ee76aac-60d0-4651-a669-608fa438b83d

"Educators wrestle with digital-equity challenges

Summit addresses key question: How to ensure access to digital learning opportunities for all students"

Interesting article on what is needed for digital equity.

 

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/05/05/ 

This is a Brian Lehrer show that has an interesting segment on Public Schools. Sandra Tsing Loh wrote an article for Atlantic Monthly that explored middle class families' fear of NYC public schools. Not quite about tech in schools, but I think this teases out underlying issues of ethics and equity. Also she gives a shout out to Bowling Alone. In the middle, she disses Wi-Fi in kindergarten classes. It's an interesting segment!

 

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0815,the-new-home-roo,404240,1.html 

I saw this article in the Village Voice right after our class tonight, April 10th. Check out how families are implementing new technologies outside of NYC public schools in order to educate their kids! It's an interesting read and brings up a bit of food for thought.

 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/07/nyregion/07charter.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin 

An interesting approach to staffing schools, seemingly eliminating tech budgets, among other things in order to attract good teachers with higher salaries. An interesting argument is presented:

 

“I would much rather put a phenomenal, great teacher in a field with 30 kids and nothing else than take the mediocre teacher and give them half the number of students and give them all the technology in the world,” said Mr. Vanderhoek, 31, a Yale graduate and former middle school teacher who built a test preparation company that pays its tutors far more than the competition.

 

Do we agree? Check out the rest of the article for some insight as to how they plan to run the program!

 

Bringing the Internet to Remote African Villages

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/technology/internet/02kenya.html?ref=technology

 

 

 

 

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Technology in Schools

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VnHdqpE4RM

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDKHBBf8v0A

 

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03262008/news/regionalnews/ny_schools_score_low_on_computer_access_103551.htm

 

 

 

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One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)

 

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Educators

 

This is a link to a wiki outlining the One Laptop Program. Somethings we've talked about in class are addressed in terms of user training and support. I suggest looking at the "On the Technical Side" of the Peru case.

 

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Peru/Arahuay

 

Here's a little snippet to whet your appetite:

 

"Plugging in the laptops is an issue that has to be looked into soon. The school electricity set up is for handling only one light bulb per room, so having many laptops charging at the same time is not safe."

 

Only one light bulb per room!? Wow, the kids don't have the crank power laptops and their electrical infrastructure can barely (can't) handle their new devices!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfV7hZGyGlk

 

Here's an episode on OLPC produced at TC's own web channel After Ed: