Prensky Article

Marc Prensky states in “Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Technology for the Classroom” that acquisition of technology typically involves a four step process: 1. Dabbling. 2. Doing old things in old ways. 3. Doing new things in old ways. 4. Doing new things in new ways. What I failed to realize was that until recently schools had merely been dabbling with technology.
Prensky argues that even writing and submitting work via computers and the internet are doing things the old way because they do not embrace a new way of doing things. They are still simply passing words around. Despite the school system’s resistance to technology, a number of schools are doing old things in new ways. Such as simulation technology which allows students to explore virtual systems thus experiencing and experimenting with ideas and realities.
The proposed missing link for technological adoption in the school system is one-on-one computing. Prensky believes that in order for “true technological advance to occur, the computers must be personal to each learner.” Once students are using them well the computers will become extensions of their selves and technological revolution can occur. Currently cost is estimated at $500 to $1000 for one-on-one computing; however cost will soon not be a factor as price per unit but will be dropping to roughly $100.
In order to move forward, Prensky feels that the digital age requires new curricula, new organization, new architecture, new teaching, new student assessments, new parental connections, new administration procedures, as well as many other elements. Technology needs to not just be adopted but adapted into our current school structures.
This article works incredibly well at emphasizing the importance of technology in education as well as just how much we still have to do. I found particularly interesting the emphasis on the total change that technology will bring as well as the need for a personal computing for every student. My final thought which I cannot seem to disregard is based on his statement that one-on-one computing should no longer be financially impossible. If this is a possibility why is not more prevalent? What is stopping this technological advance in our school systems? Are we not as schools making enough strides to technologically adapt ourselves?