New York Times Magazine’s Special Issue on Educational Technology: Our Rejoinder

Elliot: Our letter to the New York Times Magazine about their Education Issue was not accepted for publication.
Cathie: Are you surprised?
Elliot: No; I am hurt.
Cathie: You are too thin-skinned. It wasn’t personal.
Elliot: Yes it was.
Cathie: Let’s see: we lambasted them and said that the issue was backward looking. Tell me, why would they be rushing to publish our diatribe?
Elliot: Because they realized we were right and they wanted to set the record straight.
Cathie: You are delusional.
Elliot: No, just an ivory-towered professor.
Cathie: That too.
Elliot: How about we let our blog readers review our letter – and let them decide the merit of our argument?
Cathie: Delusional and a glutton for punishment. Sure, why not.
Elliot: So, here is the background: On Sunday, September 19, 2010, the New York Times Magazine published about 11 articles about educational technology. Out of the 18,628 words, the words ‘mobile’ or ‘cellphone’ appeared 13 times, almost all in a 435 word sidebar about the use of cellphones in the classroom. Incensed…
Cathie: … Elliot, you are taking it personal again…
Elliot:…. Cathie and I wrote a critique of their special issue.  The unpublished letter is reproduced in its glorious entirety, below:

Letter to the Editor: New York Times Magazine

While the NYT Magazine’s Education Issue of 9/19/2010 did an excellent job of describing 20th century education,
it avoided the real question that concerns how we educate our 21st century mobile generation: which is mightier,
the pen or the Blackberry?   For as John Dewey observed: "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."
For our 21st century children, essentially 100% of “life itself” outside the classroom is spent using mobile technologies,
according to recent Kaiser Family and Pew Foundation reports. But in the vast majority of America’s classrooms we ban those
mobile technologies in favor of boredom-inducing tools of the 18th century.  In contrast, where administrators and teachers
have their students use their 21st century mobile technologies inside school for curricular activities,
those classrooms report seeing dramatic increases in standardized test scores!  Perhaps there is a
second NYT Magazine Education Issue coming out soon that examines 21st century education?

Sincerely,
Cathleen Norris, Regents Professor, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203
Elliot Soloway, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Cathie: The final version, presented above, we submitted went through 5 hours of drafts! And, our publicist, Paul Bigham, lent his hand to the letter. 
Elliot: … thank you, Paul, for your counsel and your words!
Cathie: The letter’s tone can only be described as “sweet” by comparison to the first draft Elliot gave to me!
Elliot: They deserved it!
Cathie: Yes, Elliot, Yes. , But since they didn’t publish it, no one will know. Maybe next time you will try to be more constructive….
Elliot: GRRR… you are right; Paul was right. The letter should have been kinder and gentler…. But I just couldn’t be nice in the face of their drivel!
Cathie: Relax; remember your blood pressure! And fear not, there will be other opportunities to respond as the forces of old, small thinking are ever present…
Elliot: … and in the majority…
Cathie: Now HUSH! I am losing my patience… and do have the loudest voice, presently. But, as techies we are ever optimistic that right thinking will prevail.
Elliot: <with right arm extended above his head and hand in a fist> YES!!!

Comments

[Louis Vuitton Store]

Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.

[Bobby]

Curious if yall had recommendations for masters programs in edtech that focused more on Mobile Learning/Instruction? I'm not licensed as a teacher, received a BBA-entrepreneurship, and would like to use the program for figuring out how to improve access to ESL education & tutoring. Thanks for any insights!