My Question Assessment 1!!!

How can we overcome and/or work around lack of access to reliable computer technology and support?

It's interesting to me to see just how trivial the question now appears locked in as it is to the technical/logistical side of what Web 2.0 actually means.  It is both very narrow and limiting but reflects my understanding interest and experience at the time.

So here goes!

Some of the Issues:

From a teaching perspective there is nothing more frustrating than technology that doesn't work.  Whilst learners are generally understanding and forgiving it is far from an ideal situation to be faced with a teaching session that achieves nothing in the hour spent because of problems with technology not working.  It can be as simple as a powercut that disrupts settings so that the interactive whiteboard won't work or the firewall blocking access to sites because it mentions the word "boy" or because the printers are down.  The end result though, is endless frustration and a feeling of 'why bother'?

The answer now, as I see it, is also different than 6 weeks ago.  Persevere, be creative,  think laterally and look beyond computers to other Web 2.0 technology.

Several years ago a collegue and I used webquests widely with our learners.  We created resources and he was viewed as a leader in the field, providing workshops at conferences and visiting schools to take inservice courses on the "how to' of computers in classrooms.

A year later it had died - at our place of learning anyway, because it was no longer possible on an antiquated computer network that had been tweaked once too often, and in the face of more restricted access to the outside world!  And this is at the very heart of the problem of use of technology in some learning environments though certainly with a wider range of options provided by Web 2.0 technology it is not as limited as in the past however, some of the same challenges remain.

 Access to computers continues an issue for schools in particular, where according to UK findings (Becta, 2008) they are under-utilized especially in institutions that provide specialist IT courses which makes it difficult because of timetabling for teachers of other subjects to access.  Booking time is seldom straight forward as there are more teachers wanting access than spots available and sending students off in 'dribs and drabs' relying on them to use tools wisely is fraught with dangers in a school environment. Software applications too are  limited and therefore limit what can be achieved.  Another barrier is lack of student motivation to use technology for learning, when students are more interested in checking e-mails and social media.  Perhaps surprisingly confidence and skills can be significant barriers; just because we assume teenagers are savvy with technology doesn't mean this is the case and while some will be experts and able to assist other learners many have a realitively limited appreciation of technology.


Teachers too, have to make changes to pedagogy as lack of skills and confidence hamper effective teaching and can create a 'boredom' factor for learners as does the relatively "primitive" nature of some Web 2.0 tools.  And how do we overcome lack of access to Web 2.0 technology for a sizable number of the population who lack the resources?

Solutions

According to (An & Williams, 2010) to help overcome the reluctance of learners to embrace the openness and possibilities of Web 2.0 takes time and careful mentoring through clear instruction and examples on how to use the technology.  It is important to allocate time to learn and manage new technologies even if these appear to impinge on learning time for content.   It is also important not to introduce too many new technologies in one semester and to avoid using muultiple technologies that perform the same function.  Creation of learner centered learning such as blogs for critical reflection is seen as vital as is feedback on how to find and use resources on the web.

While all this of course assumes ready access to technology (especially computers) in the first place it can be achieved via other Web 2.0 tools such as mobile phones and the tried and true face to face teaching that this technology supports.


Even as I write this a news item on Radio New Zealand calling for free computers in low decile schools echoes a 2009 article I blogged from the UK on the provision of computers and free broadband to underprivileged students to stop a widening of the achievement gap in schools.


 The issue of lack of access to reliable technology and support remains and there are no simple solutions, just ways of working smarter and trying to minimise the impact of lack of reliable access to a tool that is an integral part of the wider educational landscape.

References:

An,Y., & Williams, K. (2010) Teaching with Web 2.0 Technologies: Benefits,Barriers and Lessons Learned.
International Journal of  InstructionalTechnology and Distance Learning, March.  Readings in Online Teaching and Learning 169005.

Becta (2008) Research Report:  Implementing Web2.0 in Secondary Schools: Impacts, Barriers and Issues. Retrieved from http://www.becta.org.uk  Doi dera.ioe.ac.uk/1478/becta_2008_web2_useinschools_reportpdf

Davis, N., &  Fletcher, J. (2010) E-Learning for adult literacy, language and numeracy: summary of findings.  Retrieved from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/...

Illinois Online Network (2010) Weaknesses of Online Learning.University of Illinois.  Retrieved from   http://www.ion.illinios.edu/resources/tutorials/overview/weaknesses.asp