[NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3661] RE: Changes in technology cost and access that we need to think about

From: Bakin, Barry (barry.bakin@lausd.net)
Date: Mon Jul 18 2005 - 17:13:19 EDT


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From: "Bakin, Barry" <barry.bakin@lausd.net>
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Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3661] RE: Changes in technology cost and access that we need to think about
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2. If everyone -- all your students, for example -- has a computer,  
if we are not taking advantage of that in adult literacy education,  
we need to do some serious re-thinking about our practice. Taking  
advantage means at least putting curriculum and lessons online so  
students can access them from class, from home, from work, from  
everywhere. What else does it, or might it, mean?

3. Within four eyars Boston will offer free or low cost wireless  
access throughout the city's neighborhoods and downtown.   
Philadelphia will, too.  Other cities will likely follow.  With a  
laptop or mobile device which accesses the Web, our students will  
have anywhere anytime access to learning.  How are we taking  
advantage of that opportunity?


It would be wise to think about the implications this has for the
current funding structure of much of adult ed as many of us experience
it.  If an increasing number of students can indeed access ESL
instruction "from home, from work, from everywhere" what incentive will
they have to actually walk into our classrooms and provide the "seat
time" that translates into the ADA a school district so desperately
needs to be funded?  It seems to me that those of us who work in ADA
driven funding systems need to start thinking about finding ways to get
"credit" for students who access coursework via the internet.  Failing
that, we'd better be sure we're making the classroom experience so
compelling and interesting that students will want to sit in them even
when they could "learn English" at home via the Internet.

Barry Bakin
Pacoima Skills Center
Division of Adult and Career Education
Los Angeles Unified School District



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