Software Selection Forms

I currently work for an online education company as an instructional supervisor. The software we use is decided upon in our curriculum department. However, I and the other members of the instructional management team are working to change this. A software selection form is a great concept and I have spoken to my colleagues about it, already. In the traditional model of education the teacher prepares the curriculum and delivers instruction. In my situation, these are two separate departments. We, instruction, are often burdened with the software decisions curriculum has made. Our students are accessing their courses from their schools and their homes and are working with a variety of hardware. This causes a multitude of problems. Teachers know what they need to instruct, curriculum knows what software will enhance the content and management knows what the budget can afford. A software selection form and a prescribed procedure would prevent a lot of frustration for students. Hopefully, the new technology that is emerging promises to end compatibility issues with different software, hardware, applications, browsers, etc.

reflections on the Digital Disconnect

I have reviewed the findings of the Pew report in previous graduate courses and in my current position. This is a piece which I haven't looked at closely, before. I love that this report provides quotes from student participants. The report doesn't describe what students think the students, literally, speak for themselves. It would be difficult to review in one or two paragraphs the entire article but, a couple items really struck me as thought provoking.
The first item is the students attitude toward what the internet is and what experienced educators' perception of the internet is. Educators seem to think of the internet as a repository for information like a library. Young learners see the internet as a dynamic tool to research knowledge, socialize with peers, collaborate with classmates, communicate with teachers, expand on ideas that interest them.. The internet is much more of a medium than a place.
The second thing that sparked my interest was that students seem to know a lot more about how to maximize their use of the internet for educational purposes than their teachers and administrators do. Many Educators are still thinking of computers and technology as a subject to be mastered, but students make it clear in this article that they want to use technology in every area of their education and in their daily lives.
The biggest issue is ensuring that all students have equitable access to technology. As with almost all innovations in education, some students have disadvantages that prevent them from accessing the quality of education that their peers enjoy. Socio/economically disadvantaged students may not have access to technology, such as high speed internet in their homes. Schools in those students' communities may mirror those disadvantages and may not be adequate providers of currrent and reliable technological equipment and services.