Comments on: Innovation Zones in Education and Government http://thecivicfabric.org/2009/10/14/innovation-zones-in-education-and-government/ Thoughts From the Stair Stepper Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:18:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Colleen http://thecivicfabric.org/2009/10/14/innovation-zones-in-education-and-government/#comment-123 Colleen Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:18:44 +0000 http://www.thecivicfabric.org/?p=887#comment-123 As a teacher in private higher education and a contractor in both public and private schools my loudest comment is STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT when innovating with technology. Technology is amazing because it takes us out of a century long old box that never worked for half of us very well anyway. Fresh approach to experiencing all the things that many of us were forced to imagine from static pages. That said, implementation is key--- I am bewildered by the seduction of all the electronic devices for our youth (and adults for that matter) filled with nothing so the default for no content and no training to create good content is GARBAGE! Education's inability to recognize, address, validate, fund, train, support and structure the healthy use of technology is leaving our children to be educated by consumerism and pop culture instead of quality learning, depth, compassion and critical thinking - all great things we could offer as educators through the use of technology. I see our children already plugging into technology- these are not only rich children. The children that I educate with more electronic devices to charge in the computer lab go to a school with a 50% drop out rate and are more than 70% below the poverty line. Why are we as a society not channeling that enthusiasm, obsession, neurosis... and educating through it. Why are we not filling halls with teachers and training, structuring and innovating methodology through the communication tools our learners cannot put down? Let's start with motivation.... all good innovation zones can be drawn from there. Thanks for your blog As a teacher in private higher education and a contractor in both public and private schools my loudest comment is STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT when innovating with technology. Technology is amazing because it takes us out of a century long old box that never worked for half of us very well anyway. Fresh approach to experiencing all the things that many of us were forced to imagine from static pages. That said, implementation is key— I am bewildered by the seduction of all the electronic devices for our youth (and adults for that matter) filled with nothing so the default for no content and no training to create good content is GARBAGE! Education’s inability to recognize, address, validate, fund, train, support and structure the healthy use of technology is leaving our children to be educated by consumerism and pop culture instead of quality learning, depth, compassion and critical thinking – all great things we could offer as educators through the use of technology. I see our children already plugging into technology- these are not only rich children. The children that I educate with more electronic devices to charge in the computer lab go to a school with a 50% drop out rate and are more than 70% below the poverty line. Why are we as a society not channeling that enthusiasm, obsession, neurosis… and educating through it. Why are we not filling halls with teachers and training, structuring and innovating methodology through the communication tools our learners cannot put down? Let’s start with motivation…. all good innovation zones can be drawn from there. Thanks for your blog

]]> By: Cathy Dietlin http://thecivicfabric.org/2009/10/14/innovation-zones-in-education-and-government/#comment-122 Cathy Dietlin Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:48:48 +0000 http://www.thecivicfabric.org/?p=887#comment-122 Hello, John, once again your “mighty pen” wrote a fantastic article! Each time you write I am greatly enlightened. Too bad we could not just “start over” with a new beginning and move forward as a public system. Yes, the pockets of charter and private options do allow for inspiration. Thank you for taking time to write. As frustrating as the “entity” may be, your observations do give hope. Have a good week. CED Hello,

John, once again your “mighty pen” wrote a fantastic article!

Each time you write I am greatly enlightened. Too bad we could not just “start over” with a new beginning and move forward as a public system. Yes, the pockets of charter and private options do allow for inspiration.

Thank you for taking time to write. As frustrating as the “entity” may be, your observations do give hope.

Have a good week.

CED

]]> By: Mary-Scott Cebul http://thecivicfabric.org/2009/10/14/innovation-zones-in-education-and-government/#comment-121 Mary-Scott Cebul Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:41:21 +0000 http://www.thecivicfabric.org/?p=887#comment-121 John – I just read this post and am looking forward to working with you on EGN. Chris T. has told me that our thoughts regarding the potential use of virtual realities and “serious games” to advance governance change are quite parallel. In fact, back during the Voices & Choices project I spoke a couple times with Ben Thompson … just to get a sense of the cost of developing a regional governance game along the lines of a “University”- type game. Half a million dollars – but times (and software) have really changed. So who knows? John – I just read this post and am looking forward to working with you on EGN. Chris T. has told me that our thoughts regarding the potential use of virtual realities and “serious games” to advance governance change are quite parallel. In fact, back during the Voices & Choices project I spoke a couple times with Ben Thompson … just to get a sense of the cost of developing a regional governance game along the lines of a “University”- type game. Half a million dollars – but times (and software) have really changed. So who knows?

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