I think the current state of technology in the classroom is: "lets just throw money at it" instead of figuring out what is really out there. If there was more thought and planing and effort put into it by the schools it would be great, perhaps even better then a traditional classroom.
At college I usually take a couple on line classes each semester, and they take advantage of the medium. It isn't just "here, read this and do 1-20 for homework" there is embedded content and interactive assignments that would just be cumbersome or not possible in a traditional classroom.
Where I work, we do tech support for K-12 and districts just blow money on iPads and smartboards and other du-dads, some of the teachers don't even have room in their curriculum for this stuff. And the iPad thing is really stupid, they spend 600 dollars on the thing, then another 80 on a keyboard and mouse with a case that props the iPad up...buy a laptop, for less money and more functionality.
Again, if there was more thought put behind the purchases, it would make things so much better.
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I think the current state of technology in the classroom is: "lets just throw money at it" instead of figuring out what is really out there. If there was more thought and planing and effort put into it by the schools it would be great, perhaps even better then a traditional classroom. At college I usually take a couple on line classes each semester, and they take advantage of the medium. It isn't just "here, read this and do 1-20 for homework" there is embedded content and interactive assignments that would just be cumbersome or not possible in a traditional classroom. Where I work, we do tech support for K-12 and districts just blow money on iPads and smartboards and other du-dads, some of the teachers don't even have room in their curriculum for this stuff. And the iPad thing is really stupid, they spend 600 dollars on the thing, then another 80 on a keyboard and mouse with a case that props the iPad up...buy a laptop, for less money and more functionality. Again, if there was more thought put behind the purchases, it would make things so much better.