Thursday, June 2, 2011

Really?... Digital Textbooks and Technology in our Schools

A reality check for decision makers and policy developers


The headlines proclaim "Huge savings with the use of digital textbooks" and "Why waste money on print resources?" Both statements seem to point to the perceived inevitable fact that the use of textbooks in our schools is an antiquated idea going in the same direction as the dodo bird. While most of us have never been in a school since we graduated or when our kids were in school, it seems reasonable in this ever changing society and the relentless march of technology, that the days of textbooks in our schools is limited. Well, I'm here to tell you that I was in a school today, yesterday, last week, last month and for the last 21 years when I started my teaching career in a computer lab and there is one unassailable fact about technology. The Toronto Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup before we see effective, common use of any form of computer technology or digital books in our schools.

Why is this a fact? We don't have the expertise to do it and we can't afford it.

Now many educators who have built their careers on technology are probably screaming wildly now that I'm a luddite and that I should get with the 21st Century. And to them I make one simple request. Show me one school Board in all of North America that has a plan for training educators to and a sustainable funding model, for using technology in their K to 12 classrooms. We've had personal computers since the mid 1980's and spent billions of dollars putting technology into our schools and not a lot to show for it. I'm just asking to be shown one Board. Only one. Anywhere.

The answer is you can't because it doesn't exist. And it won't for many, many years.

The first reason for this complete failure to integrate technology into our everyday classroom is we have never taken the time to train our teachers. Sure, we have pilot projects going all the time, but they are not funded in any meaningful way once the media leaves after the initial announcement or the pilot finishes. We don't take any of the meager funds that exist to train the teachers on what the research says about kids learning with the assistance of technology. We don't talk about assessing this work and accept that PowerPoint presentations with pictures copied from Google is good enough evidence of how our kids can use computers. And we don't give our educators the time to practice, discuss and reflect how they could use this incredible tool in their classroom. Without extensive training of our teaching force, we can't expect them to succeed. Imagine sending the Apollo astronauts to the moon with no training, just a really cool and shiny rocket to travel in.

Even if we could train our hard working teaching force, we have a bigger fact to overcome. Our tax dollars fund our school system. Decisions have to be made on how we fund all our public institutions. At the end of the day, funds for a new MRI machine at your local hospital will always take priority over funds for replacing computers at the local elementary school.

Perhaps we can overlook that fact for a moment and take a realistic look at our present infrastructure within schools. While our new schools are wired and set to accept the World Wide Web, there are many old, concrete schools that will require significant changes to be able to even access the Internet and in some cases, even have enough electrical plugs to run the machines. The heat generated from all these machines will probably mean new cooling systems for schools - remember most schools do not air conditioning. The good news is we'll save money in the winter on the heating bill!

A bigger issue on the infrastructure side is we don't have the capacity to install, maintain and service the existing, yet alone the new, network systems that will allow students and teachers continuous, trouble-free access to digital resources on the 'Net. In my view, this is the biggest issue in the whole technology debate. No one wants to consider tech support and school systems don't have the budgets to properly fund this support. The present tech support in any school system in North America is overworked, underpaid and gone as soon as a better job in the private sector appears. Don't believe me? Walk into any school in North America and look at how many machines are not working. My travels have suggested 20% of the machines can be down at any one time. And for fun, look at the machines that are working and observe how much dust is on the keyboard.

While depressing, (or perhaps refreshing in the fact that the truth is finally being spoken) all is not lost in the quest for integrating technology into our schools. What we need are hard decisions on what we can afford and then dedicate all the required resources to make this happen. Or put another way, what is needed is leadership to make this happen. And I'm suggesting meaningful, long term leadership that commitments long term, sustainable funding to our schools. While it's easier to announce an iPad pilot or stand up at a Board meeting and announce your schools will use only digital books, it takes more courage to confront the reality going on in schools today and talk about practical, realistic solutions.