Transcript:
Jim Barber:
Good afternoon, everyone! Now whom do we have on
line?
Mamie: Good afternoon
South Smithfield: William Williams
TC-2: I'll be here for a few minutes -- David
Warlick
Jim Barber: Well let’s see where we can
go this afternoon. Ready to explore some new
'worlds'? Let me set up a scenario...I'd like to
explorer through some of the barriers we have in our
minds - - particularly on time and space ok? Space
first...We know we live in this galaxy - Milky Way -
with over 100 billion stars. Our galaxy is part of a
cluster - of some 30+ other galaxies - and it’s
a small cluster! Sooo....how many stars are there in
the universe? A lot. How many planets are there???
Well we know now there are at least 12 outside our
solar system - all discovered just in the past 10
years
Coopers: 9 +1
Jim Barber: So...when's ALF show up???
Coopers: What is ALF?
Jim Barber: What would it do to our sense of
place in the universe when the first Alien Life Form
arrives? Give me some thoughts??
South Smithfield: As a real Trekker, I look
forward to first contact.
Jim Barber: Remember the Catholic Church just
recently exonerated Galileo for professing the earth
revolved around the sun!
Coopers: Haven't they already arrived?
TC-2: We would all become citizens of planet
earth -- earth citizenship will become more important
than national, state, and community citizenship.
Jim Barber: Maybe our technology is too
primitive to interest them.
Coopers: I think you're right
Jim Barber: Remember Apollo 13? The slide rule
was their personal computer.
South Smithfield: I remember doing
chemistry with my slide rule.
Jim Barber: Let's talk time then.…The
PC's only been around less than 20 yrs? With the
advances coming every day - voice software is now
available...where will we be in the next 25 yrs - any
thoughts??
Coopers: The size was tremendous also 20 years
ago
TC-2: I shudder to think about it!
Jim Barber: What technology would you like to
see that would fundamentally change the way we
educate people??
TC-2: I would like to see multimedia become an
integral and convenient part of the classroom.
South Smithfield: Technology that is more
portable and accessible.
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Jim Barber:
What technology are you using that has already
substantially changed education?? Let’s discuss
multimedia some more...any illustrations??
TC-2: I haven't seen a substantial amount of
change to education in the last 20 years.
Jim Barber: Portability - have you seen the
new 'palm top computers'?
South Smithfield: We use a PowerBook with a
projector to bring technology to each student in
every classroom.
Coopers: Technology allows students to be more
spontaneous. Students have access to resources that
we never have had at our fingertips.
Jim Barber: Does anyone know of situations
where the use of technology is outside the classroom
- i.e. students go elsewhere to access it? (Obviously
access is our big challenge)
Coopers: If a student wanted to communicate
with a student in another country and find out about
the country ahead of time, we're talking minutes
compared to hours of preparation
Jim Barber: Talk about the 'interest' of
students - how access to technology engages them more
(Thornburg says technology may be the only hope of
keeping kids interested)
South Smithfield: This morning my Principal
thought about using this technology for interviews.
TC-2: I think that the main reason the
Internet grinds to a halt around 3:30 PM each day is
because school kids on the East Coast are getting
home from school.
Coopers: As teachers that is a major
challenge, keeping students engaged
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Jim Barber: Is
anyone using any form of distance learning system?
Coopers: We have to compete with technologies
that they have had since they were born
South Smithfield: Technology helps increase
hands on and self-directed learning.
Jim Barber: My sense is most kids have more
access to technology out of the classroom than inside
- but with the dramatic drop in costs (the below
$1000 PC) this might change rapidly.
Coopers: Teachers can be facilitators and
direct student learning with technology
Mamie: I worry about equity issues--whether
access or non-access to technology will increase the
divide between the haves/haven'ts [Tom Blanford]
Coopers: I think students have the skills at
an early age to work with technology and teachers are
only hitting the surface.
Jim Barber: I agree - equity may be an issue -
but we can't let that hold back everyone.
Coopers: The students know so much more than
we know and with the equipment we have in our schools
we are way behind. The school's technology becomes
outdated by the time the boxes are opened
Jim Barber: The environment is clearly
becoming 'competitive' in many ways - there will soon
be many alternatives - 'schools without' walls.
There's one charter school in Calif totally on line.
And free.
Coopers: I think that even in the "school
without walls" that a teacher will still have a
place in the educating of students
Jim Barber: Peter Drucker asserts our
knowledge worker is our primary if not only 'natural
resource' - we must focus on education. Certainly the
teacher will continue to be a key - they'll simply
have more tools available to them - and they can
become more productive.
Coopers: Futurists say that if we don't do
something about education now that we won't have
public schools to worry about. Big businesses see
education as an enterprise worth investing in, but
not necessarily as partners
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Jim Barber:
Let's look at productivity (excuse my ol' economics
background) - if a teacher could accommodate 2-3 more
students (obviously requiring some restructuring)
then we could generate over $100 million a year for
technology (in past 4 yrs state has only funded about
$90 million). What could you do with $100 per student
per year for technology?
Coopers: As a teacher I would be willing to do
this if I could have the technology in my classroom
Jim Barber: What might be some resistance to
more use of the Internet? NC seems to lag the nation
in terms of # of teachers and students with at home
access.
Coopers: What kinds of initiatives do you see
being presented to legislators about increasing class
size to help bring more technology to the schools?
Jim Barber: I don't think the legislature is
considering 'increasing' class size - there may be an
issue of whether 'decreasing' class size is the best
investment. OK – where are all the non-linear
thinkers out there?
TC-2: Is it clear to everyone how to integrate
the Internet into the curriculum?
Coopers: No, I don't think that we have had enough
staff development to make that happen across the
state, but I know teachers that are doing an
excellent job
Jim Barber: From the limited support in the
legislature, technology is not a high priority-
probably a lot because people are not demanding it.
South Smithfield: One way might be to allow
all teachers/educators to purchase a computer at
State Contract rate/or offer an incentive.
Jim Barber: Teachers can purchase off the
state contract (I thought). How are teachers doing an
excellent job in the application??
South Smithfield: At the present, we have not
been able to buy at state contract, but if we can,
that would be great! We'll check it out!
Jim Barber: I'll check out the state contract
thing - I may have ol' news. Actually you'd probably
do as well from Gateway, Dell mail order. We'll post
the 'facts' on the contract on our 'town mtg
archives'.
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Coopers: What
do we need to do to let legislators know that we want
and need technology?
Jim Barber: I think legislators need to 'see'
the successful application of technology in
classrooms. We need a few champions.
Coopers: We have champions, when can we get an
audience?
Jim Barber: 'Invite' them soon! They will be
coming back to Raleigh in a month.
TC Staff: This is Grace - we invited our
county commissioners in to school at GAB, and when
the city manager left, he said he always sees about
technology on paper, but had never seen it in action
and was impressed!
Coopers: Teachers need to know that if they
can show the wonderful things that are going on in
their classrooms, that legislators want to see these
things
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Jim Barber:
What are some barriers to the more widespread use of
technology? What services can the state agency
provide that we don't already? We are doing many
things - resources, training etc
TC-2: One question that I hear from teachers
repeatedly is,"...can the Internet improve test
scores?"
Jim Barber: The 'Internet' is an enabler -
like the railroad tracks - we need to focus on what
we want it to carry.
Coopers: The Internet can't improve test
score, but it allows students to learn problem
solving, make decisions, have access to millions of
pieces of info that they then have to pull out only
what they need
TC-2: My question is, "...should we
fashion the Internet so that it will improve test
scores...would we be losing some of the unique
potentials of this technology?"
Jim Barber: Did anyone visit the PBS site on
the Olympics - some great classroom activities based
on events – that’s a good example I think
of how to use the Internet - was also some great
stuff on the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Coopers: Technology is a tool, not the answer
to every problem. Students and teachers both are
putting some of the most valuable info on the web and
being able to share it , that makes the Internet very
powerful
Jim Barber: What can we do here to help the
'revolution'?
TC-2: Good point, Coopers! I think that one of
the biggest potentials of the Internet is its ability
to provide real audiences for student
work….rather than just publishing to the teacher
for a grade!
Coopers: I have seen a major difference in the
work turned in to me as a teacher and work that
students knew their peers would review, so you are
exactly right
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Jim Barber:
Anyone using the Info Highway or the DPI Distance
Learning programs?
Coopers: No, we are elementary, are there
sites other than at high schools?
Jim Barber: Coopers - you're right - probably
only at high schools. Talk to us about effective
staff development - using technology to teach
technology?
Coopers: Teachers are much like students when
it comes to becoming engaged when they have access to
technology.
Jim Barber: Remember - most legislators, and
many other senior gov't folks - including our state
supt - have e- mail. Send them some student stuff!
Coopers: If teachers could have access at home
and could receive staff development at home or at
their convenience, I think that teachers would be
able to bring it back to the students
Jim Barber: Any last words??? Grace says we're
about to have the plug pulled.
TC-2: Great session, Mr. Barber! Thanks so
much!
Coopers: Thanks for believing technology is
important to education and continue to be our
advocate with legislators
Jim Barber: In closing - and again reflecting
on the vastness of our universe, let’s commit to
continuing to pursue the dream of Christa McAuliffe's
mission: Reach for Stars!
Coopers: We look forward to hearing your words
of wisdom about the future
Jim Barber: Bye bye -
Coopers: You are right, let's help students to
reach for those stars
Jim Barber: Engage!
South Smithfield: The students and staff have
really enjoyed this video conferencing. Have a great
holiday.
Coopers: Thanks for giving teachers a voice
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