InTouch Quarter 3, 2014 (中文版本)

Dan Robinson School Principal

The invention of the Guttenberg press in 1450 changed the world, allowing mass communication that crossed borders and promoted ideas that were instrumental in ushering in movements such as the Reformation and the Industrial Revolution. It transformed education as well, although the new paradigm of students reading on their own in order to learn was a major adjustment. We are experiencing a similar paradigm shift in education to-day with the internet and technology. Students and teachers can instantly access experts and information. We have the ability to teach ourselves with the devices in our pockets. These devices can either help us or hurt us. What is clear is that we should not ignore them out of fear. Educators often fear the distraction that these devices could provide. We fear exposing our ignorance, as digital “immigrants,” compared to our students, who are digi-tal “natives”. We fear the time using these devices demands. We fear sacri-ficing good teaching strategies and subject content as technology over-whelms them.

Is there a way to use technology to enhance instruction without distraction? We have visited schools where the answer is “yes”. Will this mean giving in to a digital world that has proved harmful to kids? It can seem as if the internet offers more content that is wasteful and harmful than is productive and useful. But, as educators, we need to be involved in this discussion ra-ther than avoiding it. We need to lead students to find the treasures and avoid the trash. We need to teach our students how to avoid the extremes of the digital world and find a balanced life. We are not going to do that by banning it. We can do it by teaching digital citizenship and showing stu-dents how to effectively use the devices they will certainly need in order to be more organized, productive, and connected after they leave Morrison.

I believe that with good planning and research we can find solutions to all these fears and find pedagogical enhancement with technology and produce students that are responsible and capable digital citizens. And we can do all of this at a reasonable cost. I look forward to discussing this with you more in the near future. Please look for an upcoming parent forum and please consider participating.

Journey to Joy, 
Dan Robinson

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各位家長您好，

一四五零年古騰堡印刷機的發明改變了全世界, 讓大眾傳播跨越國界並且推廣思想, 推波助瀾了宗教革命和工業革命之類的運動. 藉此教育也得以蛻變, 再加上學生們為了學習而自行閱讀的新模式造成當時一大改變. 由於網路與科技讓我們現今正經歷一個類似的教育模式的轉變. 學生與老師可以即時與專家和資訊連結. 藉由口袋裡的配備我們就可以自我學習. 這些配備能幫助也能傷害我們. 很清楚的是, 我們不能由於恐懼而忽略他們. 教育者往往會害怕這些配備所帶來的分心. 我們害怕暴露我們的無知, 就好像我們是數位世代的”移民”, 而相較於我們的學生他們卻是數位世代的”當地人”. 我們擔心要花時間來適應這些配備的使用技巧. 我們害怕當科技壓倒教學時, 將犧牲良好的教學策略以及主題閱容.

是否有一種方法可以利用科技提高教學卻又不會導致分心呢? 就我們所拜訪過的學校所給的答案是”有的”. 這是否意味著明知數位世界有害於孩子, 卻還是要加給他們? 看似網際網路所提供的內容弊大於利且浪費時間勝於實用. 但是, 身為一位教育者, 我們需要深入討論而非避免此議題. 我們需要引導學生尋覓寶藏進而避免垃圾. 我們需要教導學生如何避免數位世界的極端而尋找到生活的平衡. 我們無法藉由禁止來達到此目標. 能達到目標的方法是經由教導學生成為數位公民, 並且展示如何有效地使用這些能讓他們更有條理, 充滿效率, 以及畢業後連結一定會需要的配備.

我相信只要具備完善的計畫及研究, 我們可以找到解決這些恐懼的方案, 並且藉由科技增強教學以教導出負責任且有能力的數位公民. 同時在一個合理的花費內完成這個任務. 我期待在不久的將來能與各位進一步討論. 請注意即將到來的家長論壇並請各位撥空參加.

Dan Robinson