Here in the United States, we believe China has a bad habit with their web censorship. Citing how they repress images of the massacre in Tiananmen square, or of repressing uprisings in Tibet, or lately of "cyber attacks" on companies like Google, based in Western countries like the US.
But I think that we have serious web censorship problems in our country.
I work (student teaching) at an American high school. The problems with accessing the internet and technology are profligate. I earn no money from the school, and in fact pay tuition. I am required through student teaching to teach full-time five weeks. Before that, I phase-in over a period of seven weeks, where I team teach and develop my capacities.
There is one computer in the classroom; my mentoring teacher uses it when he teaches, and when he doesn't, he uses it for other purposes - he puts the computer to good use.
When I asked the IT staff at the school what I needed to do to bring in my laptop so as to connect to the internet, I was told that I am unable; the only computers that can connect to the school's internet connection are school computers: even other teachers cannot connect their own computers to the internet.
I am told by faculty that once there was a group who came to the media center to put on a solar system demonstration: they needed an internet connection to display real-time astronomical sights onto a small canopy under which students sat. The presenters were told they would need to petition the central office to access the internet. The petition failed, which caused the principal to become involved, who helped the presenters eventually be granted access.
Does this sound like the most free country in the world? Does this sound like a country ready to move forward, educationally, technologically, and personally? Moreover, if you are connected to the school's internet there are other issues. For student and teacher alike Google Images is blocked; Google Video and YouTube are blocked; Google Mail is blocked. So, I have no access to my personal nor university email; no access to Google Images and Video to create presentations and for help in designing lessons.
Students cannot bring computers to school; teachers can hardly bring computers to school in a useful manner; innovation with regards to technology in my otherwise progressive, above-average achieving school is effectively stifled. I cannot imagine trying to use an iPod Touch for Keynote presentations, whereby the presenter has access to both the presentation and notes information, and can switch slides by flicking a finger on the Touch. It wouldn't work. I cannot see students using handheld clickers, that allows teacher to quickly assess whether students understand the topic being lectured. I cannot see the real exploration of the resources of the internet by students - nor teachers! - because of the prohibitive firewall in place. Finally, I cannot see myself nor teachers being comfortable with technology as we move into the 21st century as a result of the vote of no confidence the district implicitly communicates to its teachers.
As I near the completion of my Spring semester student teaching, I am extremely happy with the faculty, administration, and the students in Buncombe County schools. They have each been professional and kind and funny. But I am very upset with the serious issues in place with regards to web censorship. I will communicate my thoughts with the central office as I reach the conclusion of my time here.
5 comments:
I definitely know how you feel. I graduated a couple years ago from a public high school, and the computers there were basically useless for anything needing internet use because of the firewall blocks they had in place.
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What's with that Chase? I think this is an undiscovered area for activism in schools.
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Wishes your valentine day to be joyful!
As a HS teacher, I want you to know that a teacher did sneak their own laptop on the network. They had a virus and it spread all over the network. It cost many hours of labor to undo what that person did. So, look at it from the standpoint of Technology and why it is a reaction to what someone did--school is almost never pro active.
Also, when students bring in a jump drive with their presentation on it--what do you do if it is infected with a virus? You will find you might have to wait a week before someone can come and clean up your teacher laptop. In the meantime--you are without.
I am lucky to be in a school where all instruction is on line. Almost no work was ever printed and sad to say, they have MS 2000 for students and 2002 for teachers. I would do things at home and forward it to myself at school; it reverted back to 2002. But, I could make a Quick Time DVD on my MAC and it did great at school on what we had to work with.
Too many times, we'd find the keys missing, mouse torn apart, and cords stolen. When I was not at school, I had the keyboard, cords, and mouse locked up. That was to prevent theft. Technology is not cheap and when it is torn up, we do without.
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