Education technology misses mark 
September 2, 2010 by Keith Nathan
Education expenditures on advanced technology are epitome of government waste
I first encountered a SMART Board during a visit to a friend’s classroom as he prepared for his students’ first day of class. A $2000 investment, the SMART Board consists of a large, flat screen that receives visual input from a projector.
The SMART Board is touch-sensitive and interac¬tive with marker-like styli that allow the user to draw and manipulate objects that are projected onto the screen from a computer.
The contraption is magnificently futuristic and undoubtedly a valuable tool for education. It’s also another prime example of the severe disconnect between those in charge of public funds and those receiving the benefits.
My friend, who now lives off a lacking teacher’s salary, shelled out more than $200 to stock his class¬room with basic supplies. His classroom is outfitted with the latest technology, yet it lacks the most nec¬essary tools for education.
This may come as a surprise to some of you. You might wonder how public funds can be spent on SMART Boards when the classroom is not even equipped with enough paper or pencils. As surpris¬ing as it may seem, this state of affairs is not anoma¬lous in the public sector.
Misallocation of public money is a far too com¬mon theme at all levels of government. The problem is that we’ve let it get so out of control that absurd situations such as this one typically go unnoticed.
It is completely asinine for an underprivileged school classroom to come equipped with a SMART Board, a television, four computers and an integrated sound system when little consideration is given to essential tools such as pencils and erasers.
It is obvious that the governing body in charge of educational funds thinks that throwing the money at the latest technology will solve the problems of a low-income school.
I can think of a myriad of ways that money could be spent to improve education.
Especially at underprivileged schools, there is sometimes a language barrier between students and teachers that could be breached with some basic language training for the instructors.
Perhaps the money could go towards a well-stocked school library for students to utilize.
Most importantly, the money could go towards the resources lacking in the first place – basic school supplies such as paper, writing utensils, rulers, etc.
I am not averse to technology. Computers and their hand-held counterparts are increasingly influential and essential in virtually every aspect of our lives.
It has become obviously necessary to include technology as part of our education system. But we cannot simply substitute gadgets for the fundamentals of education.
What good will it do to teach a child to type when he cannot read or write?
We cannot allow our developing generation to rely on technology before they can rely on their own capabilities.
Studies have already shown that computers deliver a rapid flow of information and media that hardwires our brain for instant gratification.
The earlier this process is integrated into a child’s routine, the more likely he is to settle into a habit of resorting to instant gratification.
This will only serve to exacerbate said generation’s expanding autism and ADD symptoms and funnel resources away from fundamental education. In order to combat this condition, we must instill a passion and patience to read voraciously and minimize face-to-screen time.
There is little we can do to correct the situation at hand, as is the case with most public fiscal irresponsibility.
The problem has been mostly corrected by the teachers who care enough to sacrifice in order to ensure the proper tools for education are available.
It is our responsibility to bring awareness to these misallocation events and ensure that we do not endorse, support or vote for any official who recklessly diverts our resources.
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Education technology misses mark : The Rebel Yell…
I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog
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[...] Education technology misses mark Education expenditures on advanced technology are epitome of government waste I first encountered a SMART Board during a visit to a friend’s classroom as he prepared for his students’ first day of class. A $ 2000 investment, the SMART Board consists of a large, flat screen that receives visual input from a projector. The SMART Board [...] Read more on The Rebel Yell [...]
Agree. What about funding for educating educators to use new technology and software. There are marvelous educational advances out there that are being passed over, not for lack of funding, but because teachers simply aren’t tech savvy enough to use them. I recently ran into http://geanium.com and would love to work with students using a version of their software. Although I am tech savvy enough, I doubt I’ll be able to convince my employers to purchase it – in fact, I’m supposing I’ll have a tough time convincing some of my colleagues to try using it. And, as you happened to mention your friend’s salary, I have serious concerns about even considering investing my own resources into a platform like this, helpful as it may be in teaching. How do we spread the enthusiasm to use new educational tools like this?
[...] Education technology misses mark Education expenditures on advanced technology are epitome of government waste I first encountered a SMART Board during a visit to a friend’s classroom as he prepared for his students’ first day of class. A 00 investment, the SMART Board consists of a large, flat screen that receives visual input from a projector. The SMART Board [...] Read more on The Rebel Yell [...]
Usually principals are in charge of where their money get’s spent… and a lot of times, when technology is in play, it is usually by donation or funded outside of the government. Imagine that there is green money, yellow money, red money, blue money… If there is a surplus of green money (say for, technology), but the yellow stack (school supplies) are depleted, money from the green stack can’t make up for the lack of yellow money.
Think also… stocking a library? These are underprivileged kids who have much more to worry about than reading a book… sometimes they don’t know where they’re sleeping that night… or they have to take care of siblings… or their family lives in an apartment… with 3 other families… or they have to steal something to eat… if they do eat… Books? Really? No man… books are the least of the worries.
Also, with regards to Autism and ADD… research has shown, and most educational psychologist’s would agree… that your personality, traits, mannerisms etc. are SET by age 3… You pick up opinions and learn other stuff along the way, but you are set in stone by age 3… with that being said… instant gratification is something teachers have to fight, but it doesn’t cause ADD… maybe just shorter attention spans.
With regards to the SmartBoard usage… isn’t that all up to the teacher at hand anyway? It should be used as an aid… and that’s how it’s advertised, as an aid to teach… it in no way will substitute the deficiencies of a shitty teacher.
If a teacher can organize his or her life/ classroom, has poor classroom management skills, or has little patience, a SmartBoard won’t fix that. So maybe look at the teachers before dogging the equipment
Have you got it yet?