EDUC 8848 Module 1 Blog Posting

EDUC 8848 Module 1 Posting

This week we were asked to identify a current technology which has emerged in our industry. In this case, I will be discussing the education field. We were also asked to identify the challenges this innovation faced and what societal needs it addresses. Finally, we were asked to improve upon this technology in order to avoid the challenges.

Here goes...
When considering technologies that have shaped the education field over the past years, I had many to choose from. I saw laptops, netbooks, streaming video, and even Smart Boards as potential candidates. However, one technology emerged which has had a significant impact on education, wireless internet or WiFi connectivity. As Thornburg (2009) mentioned, wireless internet allows students and teachers to be mobile learners. Instead of being stuck in front of a computer wired into the wall or in a computer lab, internet use can done anywhere within the range of the wireless signal.

One major challenge facing schools with wireless internet is need for upgrading. In my previous district, there was a major bond program which added hard wired internet along with Ethernet cabling for all classrooms. Less than five years later, this type of networking is not compatible with new devices such as tablet computers. iPads, for example, only use wireless internet or a 3G mobile connection. If a school has not invested in wireless internet, iPad use would be limited.

Another challenge facing wireless internet is balancing security with accessibility. Schools are rightly concerned with allowing access for students and staff while restricting access to outsiders. However, in order to secure this access, schools risks creating log in routines and passwords that are too difficult for users. This type of gate-keeping can easily turn off users from wanting to access the internet. If acquiring access takes longer than searching for content, the users might simply avoid using the wireless resource at all.

A need wireless internet meets is allowing the mobile computing I mentioned before. Lessons do not always take place within the walls of a school. Students can explore the outdoors, tablet computers in hand, and access content while on the move. By adding a wider radius of access, students could access the internet in homes where this is only seen as a luxury. Some students never benefit from computer use or internet access because of their socioeconomic status. If they were able to access the same content as their affluent peers, they might improve their academic achievement and knowledge base.

I would like to improve two pieces of wireless internet. My first issue is that internet use is a luxury item that many cannot afford. There has to be a way that we could subsidize wireless internet accessibility for all citizens, regardless of where they are located or their economic status. Secondly, we have to address security issues with wireless devices. There must be a way that we enter one password, one time, and we can access a wireless network seamlessly. Wireless internet is no fun when I have to keep a list of separate user keys/passwords just to access my email or watch an episode of Two Broke Girls. I have found many instances of “free wireless” no-password connections in airports and around town which are nothing more than someone trying to hack/phish/steal etc. my information.

So I ask, when will we have blanket coverage of secured wireless internet for all citizens? Is this a possibility, or is this a pipe dream?

Reference
Thornburg, D. D. (2009). Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Wireless router image courtesy of: http://www.piyushshekhar.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/wireless-router.jpg