Have you ever wondered what the "THE" in THE Journal means? Occasionally? Even fleetingly? No? Well, I'll tell you anyway. It stands for "Technological Horizons in Education." Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? Hence the acronym. But that aside, what it indicates is that we take as our premise that technology is inherently beneficial to education--that it can make the lives of educators easier, that it can facilitate learning, and that it can, when approached the right way, stimulate new ideas about learning and the teaching process. (And, as a side benefit, it happens to keep all of you IT folk off the streets.)
Why bother with a printed textbook? Adopting an e-text seems like a no-brainer when you consider the potential advantages of learning in a multimedia environment that can be tailored to the needs of all learners.
Sometimes I wonder if we (educators) will ever really use technology for what it should be used for. Yes, I know there are great examples of schools and teachers doing wonderful things. But I contend that when we take a broad view of how technology is being used, we see a lot of PowerPoint and electronic textbooks. Ouch!
Increasing numbers of studies are being done that seem to support the notion that blended course delivery or program delivery really captures the best of every possible world and, as such, is an effective way of learning for students.
Leaders from two schools that have implemented iPad programs share their insights, experiences, and recommendations for institutions looking to launch similar programs. They also reveal the six elements they consider "critical" to the success of an iPad 1-to-1 program.
- By Mitchell A. Salerno, Michael Vonhof
- 12/14/11
FETC can be an exhilarating, instructive, insightful, hectic experience that is hard to duplicate once you get home. However, thanks to social media, there are ways to keep in touch with peers you meet there and continue the professional development that has begun.
Teachers who are pressured into transferring information to students at a rate that supports test taking rather than knowledge building face considerable challenges. Not only does the system itself not support this approach, there are others risks to face.
What is strong research? How do you know if research warrants policy changes or adopting a technology intervention in your setting? Significant outcomes from research are not necessarily of practical significance. Where do you turn, if research is sparse or non-existent? How should a technology solution be implemented?
- By Patricia Deubel
- 08/28/08
So teachers are told to use computers (laptops, iPad--it doesn’t matter) in a curriculum that was made for pencil-and-paper learning activities. So teachers are given a Learning Management System that makes it harder for them, rather than easier, to deal with student artifacts. What’s wrong with this picture?!?!
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 02/11/13
I had the delightful privilege of moderating the FETC Virtual Conference this past May. One of the events was a Q & A with Elliot Soloway, of the University of Michigan, and Cathleen Norris, of the University of North Texas, regarding their mobile learning research initiatives. Their strong contention is that students will bring their mobile phones to school to learn--and it will happen a lot sooner than we think. It's inevitable, they say, and educators need to get with the picture.
- By Therese Mageau
- 06/07/11