Monday, October 27, 2008

Technology illiteracy and responsibility

Will Richardson has suggested that schools bear some responsibility for technology illiteracy in school aged students. He advocates that schools should teach kids how to properly access and use social networks including facebook and others. He says that when kids are unprepared, it is the responsibility of the schools, not that of the parents. Never mind that we have assessments thanks to NCLB that have nothing to do with technology. Never mind that we have have filters that would block those types of sites anyway. Are we to take time out of an already croweded curriculum to teach how to use social network sites? Kids cannot even use academic sites properly. Why are we continuously allowing parents to abdicate their parental responsibility? What happened to parents being responsible for actions taken by thier kids? If I am going to raise your child, I need to have fewer of them, have greater latitude in doling out consequences and higher pay!

Should I warn my students about these kinds of sites? Yes. Should I advise them about use if asked? Yes. Should I model Internet responsibility? Yes. But teach them how to properly and safely use social networks? Not in the current educational climate of accountability.

Your thoughts?

No comments: