I have been reading Alan November's book entitled Web Literacy for Educators. He was a speaker at the August School Administrators of Iowa Conference and is an international leader in education technology. He began his career as an oceanography teachers and dorm counselor at an island reform school for boys in Boston Harbor. He has been director of an alternative high school, computer coordinator, technology consultant, and university lecturer. He was named on the of the nation's fifteen most influential thinkers in the decade by Classroom Computer Learning magazine. (p.xv) If you would like more information on Alan November go to one of the 21st Century Links above.
The Introduction from his book is quoted below (p1) because he presents us with a thought provoking story that reinforces how we must continue to think differently about instruction and how our students learn. The need for technology resources in our schools is critical remains a high priority for our Mason City School District. We must meet the needs of our students as 21st Century learners.
INTRODUCTION
Long, long ago, there was a magical invention called paper. Children learned quickly how to use this new technology for activities such as reading and writing, long before many of their teachers and parents knew how. It was so much faster, easier (and lighter!) than stone and chisel.
The children were excited about all of the possibilities of this new technology. They could express themselves to the world! However, since there were few adult role models to provide proper guidance, some children abused this new found power. Middle school girls were known to write mean and nasty notes to one another. Boys were spending way too much time using it for playing games rather than accomplishing something worthwhile. Paper was causing all sorts of problems.
When the adults found out what the children were up to with the technology, they were horrified. Paper had to be stopped! It was making the children do bad things and they needed to be protected. And so it was decided that paper should be banned from schools. The children were not upset because they knew they could still use the new technology when there were outside of school. It was free and there was nothing to stop them from accessing all that they wanted without parents and teachers evening knowing. Banning paper from the schools did not help curb the children's abuse of it. In fact, things became much, much worse.
Years later, some of the adults, particularly the educators, reconsidered the original ban and decided to embed the technology into the process of learning. Paper became the primary media of learning and entirely replaced stone and chisel. Adults provided role modes every day for reading and producing content. A new literacy was born and children were taught how to apply it across the curriculum.