education=commerce
I can’t imagine a better course to have taken this semester. I have to say that this course gives me a much different vibe than any other course I have ever taken.
I recently accepted a position as a Learning and Innovation Specialist with the public board, and I came from 5 years as a classroom teacher. As a classroom teacher, it’s true what David mentioned, we don’t feel that education and commerce should mix. I’ve learned first hand that I have been so wrong.
In my first meeting with the director of Learning and Innovation, her words to our team were “This is a Business and we’re losing money”!! I was definitely taken back and had to do a double-take. When I was in a classroom, I would get emails/books from the admin about assessment practices and the personalization of learning. In my current position, I receive book from my supervisors about the “5 Dysfunctions of a Team” and other business/commerce oriented books. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve worked alongside Apple and Microsoft to try to get a computer lease plan in place for students who would be interested. I’ve been working with Google to bring Gmail and Google Apps to the board. Essentially we’ve been involved in lucrative deals with multi-national companies in order to provide the best tools for our learners and the best resources for our teachers. I can’t imagine how much money we’re spending on these resources, and it seems that our budget increases every year.
Posted in: Week 02: The Edtech Marketplace
lullings 5:36 pm on September 15, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey Supatel,
Congratulations on the new position. It definitely sounds exciting.
Its so exciting that you are working with the likes of Apple and Google to provide such up to date packages and hardware.
I am highly interested in the comment that you made that you were the one doing the research and negotiating but you said that you ‘can’t imagine’ how much money’ these cost.
What is the process here – do you liase with the global brands in terms of functionality and then pass your findings on to ‘an accountant’ to decide which of your recommendations to choose? As a business that is ‘loosing money’ I can already tell you the answer there!!!!
Are the cheque writers even further removed from the negotiation process, as in its not now the people in the know at a managerial level, its people who read their reports and then decide on a financial basis.
Or have I misunderstood your post??
supatel 4:06 pm on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
So as far as I know we make a pitch to our superiors on technology that might be something worth purhcasing. Along the process, the finances are discussed usually, involving both the public board and the provincial government.
Sometimes I do the negotiating with a laison from a company but more often, i have nothing to do with that. It all depends on the magnitude and complication of the situation. Last week me and a colleague were on the phone with MS trying to get a good enough deal to purchase an office suite that we could sell to the students on a laptop purchase/lease program.
When it comes to freeware and online tools that don’t cost any money, we do the PIA (privacy impact assessment) and the legal dept goes over it and makes sure we are covered as a board if we so choose to use the tool.
In the end, i’m really a small pawn on a large chess board, but it’s an unbelievable learning opportunity.
S
visramn 5:22 pm on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi,
Congratulations on your new job. That is really interesting that you got too see how technologies function at the ground level in schools and now you are getting to see what the business side looks like. This course is definitely well suited for your new position. Thanks for sharing the insights you have gained from your job. It is always nice to see what you are leaning in action.
I find that a lot of educators think from the heart and do not associate teaching and learning with business (well at least at the primary and secondary level). As an educator who has only worked in schools, I find it very hard to see the business aspect of teaching. That is one of the reasons I took this course. I look forward to reading more of your posts because I think your insight will help me to build on the understandings I am hoping to gain from this course.
David Vogt 8:39 pm on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for opening this discussion, Suhayl, and congrats as well on your exciting new mandate in the world of learning!
My experience has mostly been on the other side of your equation – with the companies that are negotiating directly with superintendents and ministry officials for the deals you are completing the groundwork for. Unfortunately it is seldom a fulfilling experience for those that care about learning, which is why I’m so interested that ETEC522 enables more teachers to become active, leading participants in the process.
I’ll give you one example, which should be simple and eye-opening. I don’t know how many hundreds of millions of K-12 students there are worldwide, but it is a HUGE market. However, there has only ever been one device that has ever been designed entirely and comprehensively for the specific requirements of this market. Desktops, laptops, ipads, etc, etc, weren’t designed for learners, they were designed for office workers and home consumers. That’s why there have always been so many problems with applying these technologies in the classroom. How do I know this? Because one of my companies designed what I believe is still the one and only wireless laptop designed exclusively for K-12 (I don’t include the One Laptop Per Child devices for a different reason, and I won’t delve into my company’s story here).
The following may be a minor over-statement but most large companies treat education as a dumping ground for technology they can’t sell anymore into corporate markets. This includes devices and software. Schools get it cheap because the technology is essentially remaindered. Value for learning is rarely a priority.
I don’t believe I’m cynical or pessimistic. In fact, I’ve never been more excited for learning, because the agility and versatility of the information technologies marketplace is awesomely great right now from an education perspective. It has never been so fertile.
Let me end my fun little rant with an analogy from a different huge, cumbersome, complex market. When we think of the “health” sector it isn’t really about health at all, it is about “illness management” because that’s where lots of money can be made. A societal focus on health promotion would cost much less and support a much smaller industry. So what is the learning market really about?
Being provocative is part of my job…
David
rebecca42 10:39 pm on September 16, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Interesting and provocative.
Most of the things I have come across in the “learning market”, via our school district, have been basic fact practice activities or games, and programs aimed at students who are low in math or reading. Everything I have seen has been focussed on closing the gap between students who are not yet meeting expectations and students who are. These programs are often put in place for struggling readers and are redundant for many students.
From what I see the market right now there is not a lot out there for enrichment activities, particularly at the elementary level. As an example, many students are able to understand complex games, so why not also supplement critical thinking teaching with an RPG?
Perhaps part of it comes from the public school goals. Districts are often looking for alternative means to bring students up to standards, so their funding is often directed at this. Not very unlike the “health” sector. With limited funds, enormous classes, minimal support staff and financial cuts all around, their position can be understood.
So what can be done about this? I see a lot happening at the university/college level and some at the highschool level locally. There are more and more interesting and educational content/programs/opportunities online. I’d be very interested in seeeing enrichment technologies that require more than rote q&a. Things that get students to really think deeply and work through problems.
Supatel, your job sounds great! Do you find that there is a focus on “levelling” technology or is equal attention (and funding) given to enrichment?