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Panel Discussion: “Are We Moving Too Slowly in Using Technology in Our Schools?”

Our panel of experts weighs in on how to adapt curricula to new technology integration

Leadership and management, Teachers, Technology

Compiled and written by David Field, Editor at Our Kids Publications Ltd.

On April 30, 2009, the night before the CAIS Best Practices 2009 Conference, Susan Einhorn of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation provided a 30-minute presentation that expressed the need to prepare students for a future with many issues never before encountered. In a rapidly changing world, students need to learn to do well when traditional models may not teach them exactly how to do so. Social networking, multiple communities, writing and creating provide some ways to help kids adapt.

After the presentation in the auditorium of Lower Canada College in Montreal, Quebec, Susan joined the panel to discuss the question, “Are we moving too slowly in using technology in our schools?” Anne-Marie Kee, the Executive Director of the Canadian Educational Standards Institute, moderated the discussion comprised of the following panelists:

Susan Einhorn, Executive Director of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation;

Vincent Jansen, Director of Information Systems at Lower Canada College in Montreal, Quebec;

Stacy Marcynuk, Director of IT Curriculum at Kingsway College School in Toronto, Ontario;

Brad Ovenell-Carter, Assistant Head of School at Island Pacific School in Bowen Island, British Columbia;

Tim Putt, Assistant Headmaster at Ashbury College in Ottawa, Ontario;

Brenda Rilling, IT Director at Selwyn House School in Montreal, Quebec.

What are three things you are doing to incorporate technology in your school?

Brad Ovenell-Carter: We are putting Web 2.0 tools in the hands of teachers and working to change the roles of teachers so that they become curators—filtering the information students acquire. We are also working to get information to parents.

Stacy Marcynuk: At our school we are encouraging passionate people who are passionate about technology—they are the ones that will show and encourage others. We are also discussing the school’s strategic plan and working to provide people support for teachers.

Tim Putt: We involved the whole community to develop a shared vision and to build a plan so that we will have organic growth that comes from the grass roots. We are also providing the necessary support and creating a culture of change within the school.

Susan Einhorn: It is necessary to state a vision and set goals while creating a culture of innovation. Otherwise, there will be friction. Also, a great communication plan is needed and parents need to understand what is happening in their child’s school.

Vincent Jansen: First, start in the classroom. Teachers need to be engaged and technology needs to be evident, essential and easy to use. Second, course schedules need to change. Thirdly, there is a need to set standards in curriculum and make sure kids are prepared for university.

Brenda Rilling: The teacher is the most powerful person and makes the change happen. If they are willing, we need to train and encourage them. Continual assessment is also important to understand if we are using technology at a basic level—just to do what we were doing before. You need to reevaluate technology just like how we reevaluate our textbooks. You also need a realistic budget and to make sure you are spending your money on [the right initiatives].

Students are interested in the passion of their teachers. Do we want students to learn and think for themselves?

Brad Ovenell-Carter: A passionate teacher is what matters most. But there may be things you can do with technology that you haven’t been able to do before. Teachers and students need to experience the technology.

Audience: The student is most important. Where do students need to be since our use of technology needs to be rooted in the needs of our students?

Vincent Jansen: It is in our human resources that this change will happen. Students want to share stuff. Is that in the classroom? Students need to know what the reward of being able to share is.

Stacy Marcynuk: Students will know how to do it. Need to figure out how to empower kids so that they can find it.

Susan Einhorn: Kids have a superficial knowledge of technology. They need a deep understanding of how technology can help them—they need teachers to guide them and they need metacognitive development.

What have been your successes in enhancing technology in your schools?

Tim Putt: Good teaching is still good teaching. For peace and conflict studies we are using Skype to connect with others around the world. Students are driving the need for change. We have been preparing them for academics, not the work world. Young teachers do not know how to merge technology [with learning].

Vincent Jansen: Everyone is moving online—universities are already doing it.

How can teachers and students get to valuable places and spaces when many schools have filters?

Brad Ovenell-Carter: Filtering is one of the number one barriers. It is hard to determine what is developmentally appropriate. We are afraid of the virtual world but we can’t stop kids from finding stuff. Kids need to let adults know what they discover.

How can schools empower teachers to feel like they have the required skill set?

Stacy Marcynuk: Teach children about what happens online. We need to teach them in grades 3 and 4 since we cannot monitor what they do at home.

Brenda Rilling: It is not fair to say that teachers are not managing their classrooms.

Are young students better off learning with technology if they move to schools without all these technologies?

Stacy Marcynuk: Students are using this technology at home.

Susan Einhorn: They do well. The laptop is just a tool. The problem solving they learn does not leave them. Students will pressure their new school to use more technology.

Will technology destroy the school structure?

Lesley Monette (CIS eLearning Consortium): Online courses are taken out of the timetable. All technologies are tools that allow us to do things better. We can use these tools to expand our pedagogy. We need to ask ourselves how do we use it well?

When do kids be kids?

Vincent Jansen: Many students learn their stuff at night while multitasking. Some are just trying to get through the day.

Brenda Rilling: Students need to be engaged and do their learning during the school day.

How can technology enable critical thinking, problem solving and imagination?

Susan Einhorn: Kids are writing books online.

Tim Putt: We need to teach critical thinking.

Stacy Marcynuk: We need to be flexible.

Brad Ovenell-Carter: It is important to engage in dialogue.

Related Articles
- Dialogue Online articles on Technology
- From the Our Kids Blog (on technology)

More Panel Discussions
- Going Global: Teaching an International curriculum
- Meeting the needs of students (Toronto)
- Meeting the needs of students (Vancouver)

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2009

Our Kids Publications

Other articles by Anne-Marie Kee

Susan Einhorn

Susan Einhorn has been involved in educational technology for over twenty-five years. Since 2007, she has been the Executive Director of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation, an international non-profit organization focused on ensuring that all children have access to unlimited opportunities to learn anytime and anywhere and that they have the tools that make this possible. Prior to joining AALF, Ms. Einhorn had been instrumental in the development of Logo-based constructivist software, including the award winning LogoWriter. Ms. Einhorn has spoken at a number of conferences in the US and Canada, including NECC, NCTM, CUE, ECOO, and NJAET. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Selwyn House School, Montreal, QC.

Vincent Jansen

Vincent Jansen is currently the Director of Information Systems at Lower Canada College. Vincent has held various positions throughout his career including: Director of Academics, Director of Information and Communications Technology, Director of Enrichment and teaching positions in a number of Canadian and International schools at both the high school and university levels. He has held business analyst and consultant roles, most recently with LEARN Quebec. Vincent holds a B.Sc. and B.Ed. in Biology and Chemistry and a M.Ed. in Educational Administration, along with a number of professional certifications. Vincent has a passion for acquiring and leveraging knowledge in education and technology that leads to school improvement.

Stacy Marcynuk

Curiosity led Stacy to the realm of technology and captured her interest. Today she spearheads the integration of technology across the curriculum throughout all grades, and she is highly involved with the upcoming launch of the school’s new website. Stacy has experience teaching elementary, secondary and university students. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto (B.Sc., B.Ed.), University of Victoria (M.Ed.) and the CAIS Leadership Institute. With leadership in the CESI National Technology Project and in a variety of CESI accreditation/reviews, Stacy has shown passion for collaborative teaching and learning with technology.

Brad Ovenell-Carter

Brad Ovenell-Carter is assistant head of school at Island Pacific School, where he teaches English and philosophy to middle school students. He is currently writing a Master’s thesis at Simon Fraser University on how best to use emerging web technologies to develop critical discourse in K-12 students.

Brad maintains a healthy skepticism towards web technology and is a little old-fashioned in his sentiments: he likes Homer and Milton; he thinks Greek and Latin are fine things to know; and, were it not for the squeaks, he would prefer a chalkboard to his Mac. Unless technology lets him do something he couldn’t otherwise do with a stick in the sand, doesn’t see much sense it.

Despite this, Brad feels that the only way to make fair assessments of Web 2.0 is to get dirty with it. He moved his whole school over to Google Apps in the fall of 2009 and over the past year has led his staff and students in experiments with wikis, blogs, instant messaging, and web conferencing. He blogs regularly on technology and schooling at A Stick in the Sand.