I thought the reading for this week The Horizon Report 2009, was a good one. It was long, but it included great information such as time lines, relevant technologies, and examples of those technologies and even links and instances of those technologies being used. This is definitely one site I will have to bookmark. The report addressed one of my biggest issues with integration of technology into the classroom, equity of access to computers and the internet. We had students fill out forms at the beginning of the year about access to computers and the internet. Most students have a computer at home as we would expect but there were those that didn’t. So in terms of assigning and doing collaborative projects such as wikis or making groups pages how can we make it equitable? Those without home computers are most likely disadvantaged in other ways then just lack of a computer or internet access. Now these students have to find a computer to use meaning they have to stay after school and have their parents come pick them up or they have to find the nearest public library and try to get time on one of those machines while their peers can sit and work from the comfort of their own homes. Perhaps there will be a time in the near future when everyone has a computer in their home, but I know that time isn’t quite here. I am curious how mobile devices are going to be introduced. The site gives some cool examples. Again the issue is access to these tools. No doubt these devices will continue to come down in price however, even with that there is going to be those who can not afford or don’t want or need the latest and greatest mobile device. Despite my grumbling, I think there is some great ideas out there and I definitely want to keep an open mind about them.
