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1:1 Programs: What can we all agree about?

I would like to believe we all have some common ground that we can agree about concerning technology integration in schools and 1:1 programs in particular:

Number One: simply increasing technology changes nothing

• As defined by Jim Collins, technology is an accelerator and not a creator of momentum or change
• The real questions: “what do we want to achieve?” and “what are we really accelerating?”

Number Two: technology can enable innovation in all subject and career areas

• in English, Social Studies, Math, Science, World Languages, and PE
• In colleges and universities
• In careers and workplaces

Number Three: we must model and actively engage students in a broader discussion of ethical, safe and academically valuable uses of technology.

• Students’ self-taught uses are often naive and simplistic
• This engagement affects character development and lifelong learning

I would like to think that all educators could agree with the points above, unless a position is taken that “technology is too dangerous or distracting or a passing fad,” which I believe most feel are all inaccurate.  In addition to being an accelerator, I believe technology is an amplifier, meaning that our intents may be even more noticed when technology is integrated, so I would suggest a safer course is to make sure our intents and objectives are worthwhile before plugging into a massive amplifier (like this seven-year old blog).

Next, I’ll post what I think are the three core objectives of a 1:1 program.  The above points are what I believe should be common ground.