I recently bought a new (at least new to me) house. Of course we brought all of our technological "stuff," like the Wii, televisions, computers, and so on. For several years, I have only had a mobile phone, because there hasn't been a need for a landline. My son Isaac and I were standing in the kitchen the other day. He is eight. He looked up at the wall where there is a phone jack. Apparently the former owner had at some point had a phone hanging on the wall in the kitchen. Isaac pointed at it and said "Mom, what's that." I think I somewhat embarrassed him, unintentionally of course, when I laughed out loud and told him that it was where you plug in a phone.
The purpose of this little story is to provide an example of the world in which our future leaders live. Many children live in homes without landlines and a rotary phone might as well be a dinosaur. Technology is everywhere in our homes and schools. Teachers in all levels of education create their lessons, enter their grades, and communicate with parents and students via the internet, facebook, text messaging, and other social networking applications. I once worked in a school district where the server burned in a small electric fire. Everyone was beside themselves, because we couldn't get emails from administrators, post grades for students, or worst of all, make a phone call! The phones were all run through the server! I was taking parent messages on my mobile phone!
The internet, computers, and projectors have become almost commonplace in the classrooms of both child and adult learners. I think it would be safe to say that the future of instructional technology and technology in education will incorporate more social networking, blogging, and new innovative applications. Although there is much to be said for the structure and patience that come with the learning from a good book, when learners have access to the classroom in the palms of their hands, what teacher wouldn't want to use it?
Totally enjoyed your story of the phone jack on the wall. I have one of those needless phone jacks in my kitchen...haven't used it now for a few years when we totally went to using our movile phones.
ReplyDeleteThanks! To my son it might as well be prehistoric.
ReplyDeleteOur house was recently struck by lightening...yes it was a nightmare! After the firemen left, giving us the ok to go back inside, we found that among MANY things that did not work was the cordless phone system. Just to make the necessary calls to insurance, various repair people, etc. my husband went to Dollar General and bought a CORDED slimline phone. My children thought that was the craziest thing they had ever seen. My youngest really loved the "curly cord!"
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