Students Can Transform Educational Technology

Sylvia Martinez, president of Generation YES, recently penned the blog entry Successful, sustainable strategies for technology integration and tech support in a tough economy.  This entry was very timely because our school, like most schools, is trying to cut costs. Some see technology has a financial burden during a recession rather than an opportunity to save some money and create a student centered environment.  Martinez's post argues for the later.

Even though students are 92% of the population at the school, and are 100% of the reason for wanting to improve education, their voice goes unheard.

The idea behind making technology integration and support successful in a school is to incorporate the students into the process.  She outlines the following reasons for including students:

• Technology literacy for all - Creating an expectation that modern technology will be used for academics, schoolwork, communication, community outreach, and teaching. A key success factor is teaching students how to support their peers as mentors and leaders.


• Student tech teams - The 21st century version of the old A/V club, this strategy expands the definition of tech support from fixing broken things to also include just-in-time support of teachers as they use new technology. This digital generation is ready, willing and able to help improve education, we just need to show them how.


• Professional development 24/7 - The old idea that teachers would go off to one workshop or a conference and immediately start using technology has been proven wrong. Truly integrated technology use requires a bigger change than that, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Teachers require more support in their classrooms that they can count on when they need it. Students can help provide teachers with this constancy and supportive community.


• Students as stakeholders - Whenever schools initiate new technology programs, there is typically a call for all stakeholders to be included. Parents, teachers, staff, board members, and members of the community are invited to participate — but rarely students. Even though students are 92% of the population at the school, and are 100% of the reason for wanting to improve education, their voice goes unheard. Students can bring passion and point-of-view to the planning and implementation of major technology initiatives. They can be allies and agents of change, rather than passive objects to be changed.


• Students as resource developers - Students can help develop the resources every teacher and student needs to use technology successfully. These resources can be help guides, posters, instructional videos, school websites, or teacher home pages. Students of all types can use their talents to build customized resources for their own school. Artists, actors, and techies can contribute to this process.

How Can We Make This A Reality

1. We are a laptop 1 to 1 school.  If we fully utilize these laptops for everything pertaining to the school, essentially going paperless, we would save a great deal of money.  If the students become a primary resource for helping faculty and other students adapt to this shift, you are not only cutting costs but you are promoting student responsibility.


2. Building upon what I just mentioned.  Many of our students know more about technology than even some of our tech savvy faculty.  We must utilize this.  If we can incorporate students into our tech training and support systems, not only will we be empowering them, but providing the school a cost saving opportunity to expand their staff and make the most of the knowledge available.


3. With the development of Twitter, chat clients, and on campus support teams, faculty professional development no longer has to be dedicated to one day workshops.  Students and the technology department could use Twitter to periodically update the faculty with tips and reminders on how to use their laptops or fix a problem.  Something like iChat has to potential to have a help desk on call when school is not in session.  Finally, if you have teams of student technology assistants, they could help solve simple problems like "Why won't the projector turn on?" This support network would bolster the faculty's  confidence when using technology.


4. Students need to be a part of the conversation.  If a school wants to fully utilize our laptops, we must consider the students' perspective.  They will have an understand how the technology is used and can help plan and implement a program as well as prevent issues from happening.  We must listen to our students, their voice and contributions are vital to a program's success.


5. Finally, students are creators.  They have grown up around digital media.  We must take advantage of their comfort with this medium and have them help create and publish digital media that can range from tech tutorials to videos for prospective students.  Their experience with that medium will promote a student centered environment and save your school some money.  Who needs a marketing firm when you have students.

The points Martinez are important. Student participation is necessary.  When we involve our students in the integration and support of technology we not only empower them and the community but also cut costs.

Photo Credit: -bartimaeus-