After taking a course at Arizona State West during the summer of 1999 on the Internet and its application to education, I really am thankful that the Decorah School District seems to be on the cutting edge of technology and education. I really see the benefits that our students will receive by using computers and other technology systems. We must keep our students up-to-date in this field because the future technology will keep changing very rapidly. Just think what has happened in the last five years. What will happen in the next five?

The students just love to get into the computer lab and work on the Intenet and various software programs. But they must realize some educational benefits from this privilege. The teacher must guide the students from being just knowledge consumers to knowledge producers. We just can't have Treasure Hunts all the time. We must use the Net and other sources to enable the students to use higher level thinking skills. This is what education's goal should be. We must have informed students, but they must be able to apply that information to make good decisions for themselves and society. This can be done by having the teachers change their curriculum from teacher-centered to student-centered learning. Webquests are probably the way to go in this process. I have a webquest at this site on careers. The teacher will have to spend a lot of time preparing a webquest, but I feel the students will be more motivated to do the quest on the Net then in textbooks. Every so often the teacher will have to update the information and tasks, but it will be worthwhile. Students like to be independent during the middle school years. They also like to have ownership of a project done by themselves or with a group. Then Internet will be a great tool for educators to use to motivate students to acquire and apply knowledge.

I feel the key for educators to remember is that the computer labs, tech. prep. programs, fiber optic long distance learning, cd roms, etc. are all tools for quality education. They should not replace kids interacting together and with the teachers. We shouldn't take the personality out of the classrooms. Kids still need to write papers, give speeches, discuss their ideas, perform skits, produce visual projects, etc. We must not throw out the basics. Students still need to read and think well to use the computer. But the computer and the Net will be a beneficial complement to the educational process.

I have found out that I need to learn a lot more about how to use all this amazing technology that is here now and is coming in the future. The key is to take the time. There must also be opportunities given to the teachers to keep up-to-date on what is happening with education and technology. Decorah does a pretty good job with this, but a lot of the times when inservices are held, some educators like me are coaching. I think I might have to decide very soon what road I should take as an educator. Technology or coaching? Like a lot of decisions in this world, it is a tough one.

Yes, learning technology takes a lot of time. So does the planning and implementation of a new curriculum for one's subject area using the new technologies. But the educational benefits of these technologies greatly outweigh the concept of standing pat and remaining safe and secure with the old methods of educaton. It's time! Let's get out our surfboards and ride the Internet wave. We might have a few wipeouts, but after a lot of hard work, we will be hanging ten in the future.