Tech Disruptions

Apple and Mobile Trump Everything, but Not in That Order

Elliot: While we were sleeping, Apple’s iOS “Nearly Surpasses Nintendo as Most Popular Gaming Platform”
Cathie: “while we were sleeping…” – that’s the introductory line from Thomas Friedman’s now classic "The World is Flat"
Elliot: Yup. TF used it well. By and large most of us didn’t’ realize that the earth had become flat…
Cathie: …because of the all the networking cable that was laid during the Internet boom…
Elliot:… that became economically viable to use because of the Internet bust!
Cathie: After the bust, TF points out that the networking companies sold their networks at 10 cents on the dollar. And, bingo, at that lower price point, companies figured out thecost of international communications was now virtually zero.
Elliot: And call centers sprung up since labor costs were lower in places like India and China…
Cathie: … And Skype could offer free and very low-cost international calling. Because of the Internet…
Elliot: … and the economics of boom and bust…
Cathie: …the earth was now flat; everyone was connected at virtually no cost!
Elliot: TF tells such a good story…
Cathie: .. but you only read chapter 1 of his book!
Elliot:… shhh, shhhh… it was too thick; heck, chapter 1 tells the whole story, anyhow.
Cathie: OY! You will need to return your Intellectuals’ Boy Scout Merit Badge when people realize that you only read the first sentence.
Elliot: …That’s because you read the rest and tell me what it says. What’s wrong with that? Anyway, about the other conquest Apple has made-- they beat Walmart-- Apple sells more music than Walmart!
Cathie: But  Apple make computers?
Elliot: Ha ha ha…. They started out making computers, now they are an entertainment company! Well, the first sentence of the article says it all: “Apple's iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch have surpassed Sony PSP as a gaming platform in the United States and have almost caught up with Nintendo's DS.”
Cathie: And did you see where they are predicting that iPads are killing notebook sales and that iPads will outsell Mac laptops, in particular?!
Elliot: Mobility, ease-of-use, …
Cathie: .. and fun to use!!!!!
Elliot: … trumps everything.
Cathie: End of Story!
Elliot: But ….
Cathie: You’re not listening: END OF STORY.
Elliot: <smiling bemusedly> ohhhhhhh....kaaaaaaay.

Today is just the beginning for iPad-like devices

Landen Zachary (Repeating a comment Landen posted on 9/9/2010 on the “The News from Project RED: “Technology Can Impact Learning”” of the blog “Tech Disruptions”. ): Speaking of using technology properly, what do you guys think about this http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/117625-california-testing-ipads-as-algebra-textbooks. It seems like a school in California is giving 8th grades iPads to replace their algebra books and then comparing their scores to those of their peers who use traditional textbooks. It’s an  interesting article.   Any predictions on the outcome? My only comment is I hope they are using it to replace all their textbooks and not just algebra, I don't see any reason to limit it unless the other subjects aren't available.
Cathie: Thank you, Landen, for pointing out this pilot study to us!
Elliot: The study will surely show the iPad to be superior to the textbook method. Why?  Here is a description of the iPad study from the newspaper article: “Students with iPads will have instant access to more than 400 videos from teaching experts walking them through the concepts and assignments, rather than having to rely on the teacher's explanation in class. There is also a homework coach and animated instructions on how to complete assignments.”
Cathie: In other words, the iPad class is going to have considerably more resources than the traditional textbook class.
Elliot: Yup, it will have more technology, more curriculum materials, and more instructional support.
Cathie: So, when the iPad class shows higher test scores, there is no way to tell if it was the iPad per se or the 400 videos or the coach or the myriad of other elements that caused the gain in test scores. In fact, it is probably all the factors and given the confounds…
Elliot:… academics talk funny.
Cathie:… oh hush… there is no way to even correlate an increase in test scores with the use of the iPads.
Elliot: This situation points out the absurdity of traditional physics-style experiments in social contexts. There is simply no way to hold everything constant except one variable!
Cathie: The crazy thing is: what if the iPad class does worse than the traditional algebra classes? Does that mean that iPad is bad?
Elliot: No!  To do a real educational experiment is expensive, time consuming, and requires considerable planning. The “experiment” organized by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the California Secretary of Education in several districts in California does not sound carefully conceived.
Cathie: The best part of the article is the comments! Over and over the commenters complain about the cost of the iPad…
Elliot: .. which misses the point…
Cathie:… absolutely! Today the iPad may be costly, but down the road…
Elliot: … in 2 SHORT YEARS…
Cathie:… the iPad will cost half of what it does now. In doing this sort of experiment, we are looking ahead to the future…
Elliot: … and to buy the future today may not be particularly cheap.
Cathie: “The future is here now. It’s just not evenly distributed.”
Elliot: WOW!!! Such a cool observation by William Gibson!
Cathie: Pretty accurate too: in the future all classes will be using iPad-like, mobile learning devices – not paper-based textbooks – for learning.
Elliot: Careful, careful., there. Can’t be biting the hand that feeds us.
Cathie: eGads! Usually I am the one that chastises you for ruffling feathers, and I really like books!
Elliot: Heh, heh, Fun stuff, eh?
Cathie: …. Thanks again, Landen for a great blog post opportunity!

School Leadership, School Leadership, School Leadership

Elliot: We must write an Op Ed piece for the New York Times.

Cathie: You have been promising to do that for as long as I have known you!

Elliot: I know, I know, but THIS TIME it will happen.

Cathie: This time... what is your subject?

Elliot: School Leadership

Cathie: Pray tell what do you know about school leadership??

Elliot: As the great Yogi Berra once said: "You can observe a lot by just watching." And I have been watching some really good school leaders lately.

Cathie: Well spoken, Mr. Yogi.

Elliot: Thank you... or are you being sarcastic? In any case, here is the argument:

· Most schools are not moving the needle now – student achievement is not rising

· There ARE ways to move the needle and improve student achievement

· But those ways require the expenditure of money

· Most schools say they don’t have new money for new initiatives... so no new initiatives can be initiated.

· All schools DO have old money; they just need to repurpose and rebudget – (1) stop buying stuff that really doesn’t move the needle, (2) put off buying stuff that may well be important to another year, etc.

· Administrators must make hard decisions; stop spending as they have in the past to provide the money for the new initiative.

Cathie: but schools are loathe to break with the past..

Elliot: ... and anger whoever was benefitting from that particular expenditure.

Cathie: It takes a strong leader to make the hard decisions and take the heat.

Elliot: Strong leadership at the building and district levels is needed now if schools are going to adopt new...

Cathie: ... and successful ...

Elliot: .. instructional programs that move the needle and improve student achievement. 

Cathie: You were thinking about not buying textbooks, I bet.

Elliot: Zinger! SPOT ON!

Cathie: And you were thinking of 1:1 programs too, I bet.

Elliot: Two for Two.

Cathie: You are pretty transparent.

Elliot: ME? One trick pony Soloway – nah!

Cathie: Yah.

Elliot: <smiles enigmatically>

Cathie: <smiles knowingly>