Among the less discussed features of the new iPhone 5 in the general press is an “upgrade” to the charging port. The new “Lightning” port requires a different charging cord from all earlier iPhones/iPods/iPads. While this charger boasts the advantage of faster transfer of data, the unintended (or actually very much intended) consequence is that no previous Apple docking device works with the new port. This includes radios, charging stands, CARS, and other devices. While an adapter is avialable (for $29), this does not have the full functionality of the new charging/data cord. Some call this “upgrade” a cynical cash grab, forcing consumers to purchase new cords, adapters, and devices, and others just aren't paying attention.
While I am very much in the Apple rage camp over this move, I can't help but think that it also illustrates something about educating students and teachers. Namely, that in our world of lightning fast changes, the best prepared students will have skills of flexibly, to adapt and learn new things quickly.
As a rule, educators are comfortable with permanence. The vast majority of our curriculum is built around things that don't change too much. 2+2 continues to equal 4; The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776; sentences must contain a subject and a predicate; great literature was written by dead white males (just kidding). My experience as a teacher and with teachers is that many (including me) are not all that comfortable with change and flexibly. Changes to the schedule or the calendar are often met with skepticism (and occasionally anger). Calls to change methods of classroom instruction often meet with passive resistance. Suggest that perhaps the entire structure and purpose of school should be reexamined, and the gallows are out before your words stop echoing.
Of course techers are not monolithic in this, and this resistance to change is not limited to any profession. However, an educational system that emphasizes stability and permanance, as desirable as these may be, doesn't prepare students for a world that will value them not so much for what they know as for what they can become. Students do not need to know things as to know how to learn things.
I've been thinking a lot lately about teacher formation in the area of technology. In preparation for the 1x1x15 project, I know that we have a huge teacher training job in front of us. In my observation, most teacher training programs have been unsuccessful, particularly if success is to be measured in reach change of classroom practices. Teachers master a few “parlor tricks” to use during the next observation (and they still think that using PowerPoint is integrating technology!!!), but the overall orientation of classroom instruction stays the same.
As we take on this new task, I think we have to approach this in the same way we need to teach students. We need to stop emphasizing teaching teachers how to do things and start teaching them how to learn things. We need to stop giving them terminal skills which end with the next update or iteration. Move from “Here's how you use this machine/program/app,” to “Here's where you find videos that will show you how to do the next thing when it comes so you can teach yourself.”
With a hard wired set of facts and abilities, we become about as useful as an iPhone 4 dock in an iPhone 5 world.
Image Credit: Image: 'iPhone 5 – Lightning Connector, Speakers, and+Headphone+Jack' http://www.flickr.com/photos/83542829@N00/8009499527
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Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. (Chinese proverb)
One of the things I will never forget from your seminars is the statement that went something like, “If you give a child a new video game, do they ask you to send them to training class? No, they play with it until they figure it out or they ask their friends.” I personally am tired of being sent to basic training. As a tech savvy teacher, I am eager to take a piece of technology and learn on my own, and this is what I do. If other teachers at my school did this, we would be using the technology we have in ways that would be unbelievable.
Christine, I could not agree with you more! I think we need to develop an entirely new type of teacher formation (note I didn’t say training) that is high in expectations and high in individualized available support but relatively low on front end training sessions.
Christine, and Greg, I think that is exactly the right idea. It needs to be expected that teachers are able to figure out things on their own. Christine, I do the same thing as you.