Five hard questions

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With one hand
Five hard questions
Michelle Williams Faculty of Education,
QUT m.williams_at_qut.edu.au
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The old picture

• Pressure to use information technology in
  education
• Anxious parents
• Anxious schools
• Inquisitive teachers
• Evangelistic teachers
• Early adopters had different circumstances.

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Now
Before
Schools had computers
Homes have computers
Computers did not do things as well as humans
Computers do some things better than humans
Computers are now integral to human work and
leisure
Humans did not use computers much
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Now
Before
Computers are designed to connect people
Computers were designed to isolate people
Computer-using Humans were disconnected from
each other
Humans are connected on a personal and global
scale
Schools struggle with what, why and how
questions
Schools struggle with what, why and how
questions
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Downes study
Parents understood the computer to be about
learning to 'work' in places where technology
is involved and learning at school.
Children saw the computer as an entertainment
device.
Teachers generally thought it was an information
and writing tool.
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Study findings - stage 1
Computers as future significant to all,
but parents thought computers were essential to
children's functioning as adults, particularly
as workers.
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Study findings - stage 1
Being able to use a computer was important
but parents concerned about the impact of
computers on workplaces and were not concerned
about types of computer uses but rather
particular types of work.
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Study findings - stage 1
Parents wanted children to use computers at
home to learn "basics" (supplement what
schools do) and to use it to participate in
school That is, parents saw computers as
important for the present.
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Study findings - stage 1
Parents concerned to supply electronic sources
of information - volume access and currency -
view that teachers wanted that.
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Study findings - stage 1
Children saw computers as social tools -
something to do with mates - something to talk
about - emphasised the importance of game
culture and mastery Non-game players talked
about a different but similar culture
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Study findings - stage 1
a view that schools should play a partnership
role with families in helping children use
computers .
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Attitudes
Media
Parents Stories
Parents Rules
Experiences at school
Your Students
Personal Experiences
Stories at school
Other groups
Social structure and culture
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Study findings - stage 2
Workplaces as technologically determined - not
only because humans used computers - but because
people worked differently in the company and
the company functioned differently. Understood
issues like group skills, communication, work
ethic, company loyalty, team work, project
management Wanted children to understand what
was different - not sure how!
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Look at you? Nice person Professional educator
Ace Educator
Teach students Interpret curriculum Develop
resources Counselling role Non-teaching
responsibilities wrt students Administrative
roles that make the workplace ( your school)
function effectively Strategic planning
role Systems management Personnel
training Advocacy roles
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Look at you? Skills of the job
Ace Educator
collecting, analyzing and organising
information communicating ideas and
information planning and organising
activities working with others and in
teams solving problems using technology understand
ing the culture in which people live, work,
govern and care managing projects managing
teams of people practicing advocacy and marketing
skills
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Culture of non-classroom work
organising systems project management
planning interpreting tasks
record keeping writing publishing
financial planning financial management
organising resources building infrastructure
Teachers
Knowing the larger curriculum picture
the schools work student records
maintaining currency of knowledge
Value in making the workplace and work culture
professional rich
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A professional development imperative



Technology supported work
The culture of work
The culture of Technology
First hand stories about a culture that is all
about technology embedded in work Importance of
passion Perhaps more logistically attractive as
a training ground. A strategy to participate in
the community of practice
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The curriculum imperative



Technology supported curriculum processes
Technology processes
Syllabus processes?
Processes of collecting, analysing and
organising information communicating ideas and
information planning and organising
activities working with others and in
teams solving problems using technology understand
ing the culture in which people live and work,
govern, care managing projects
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Attitudes
Classroom experiences
Media
Workplace stories
Teachers
Personal Experiences
Peer communities
Other groups
Social structure and culture
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A Definition
The Internet is a place that contains
communities of people and these communities
often build information archives. The talk on
the streets and the relationships between the
people represent the soul of the community.
Williams and
McKeown 1996
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A professional development imperative



New curriculum understandings
The culture of the Internet
First hand experiences
First hand stories about a culture that is all
about new ways of working, learning, living,
loving? Importance of passion Perhaps more
logistically attractive as a training ground. A
strategy to participate in the community of
practice
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Question 2 again - value adding Teachers who
experience the communities of the Internet for
professional work and participation, understand
new work processes and thus have a basis for
cultural understanding
Reflection on this and interpretation into
curriculum is what teachers value add.
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Types of project ideas Teleconversations Exchange
s Publishing and performance Quizzes and
puzzles Data collection Virtual Field trips Tag
along on an expedition Observing special
events Ask-an-expert Research Electronic
appearances Global classroom model Information
problems
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Still about Question 4
Need more discussion about ideas embedded
in Information literacy approaches in a global
context Problem posing and solving Project
management approaches
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What could you do? Technological
processes Investigating issues and needs Devising
proposals and alternatives Producing processes
and products Evaluating consequences and
outcomes Managing resources and projects Global
understandings Connect student to
people Investigate non-local perspectives First
hand sources Processes Team work
Your ideas
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A Logistical thing - do it live!
This ICQ tool Web chat Netmeeting
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Your responsibility in the Online guest event!
Instructions on how to participate A problem to
solve Learn the content of the debate