393 | by Edgar van Gorkum, head of ICT, Stenden University, Leeuwarden
»There are not enough computers available«, something we all hear once a while when we are walking through the University. Questions like computer ratios (computer per students) or can it be better and we want more computers are familiar in most university’s/schools. Well, in my opinion there is only one ratio that counts, 1:1.
But everybody a laptop, how are we going to do that and what will be the effect? Difficult to say but certainly worth trying! If you look in terms of computer generation and digital immigrants, everybody born after 1980 belongs to the ‘real’ computer generation, they are grown up with it, everybody born before 1980 are the digital immigrants, we understand computers, but we also know how it was ‘before’. Its not that i want to judge what is good and what is bad, what is best and what is better. But it’s also a known fact that we will work more and more with the computer generation and besides that, the computer generation will be running the university in the future, so time changes.
I reckon that it’s time for Stenden University to change. What we have on ICT equipment is good, of course, but what we all know is that we want to go more mobile, access our ’stuff’ everywhere would be a nice feature and go on. We are a international University, so one thing is for sure, we are not on one location only.
Some interesting projects started last year at prep/K12 schools like laptop projects, every student a laptop, more digital information, more support to the creative process of a child/student the visual learners of our society.
For me it would be a challenge to see if we can support this vision not only with technique but also on a professional educational level.
Look at the schools like, Piter Jelles in Leeuwarden or Sint-Maartens College in Maastricht.
At the Zuyder College Emmeloord the project expanded to more courses:
In Maine (USA) was is a similar project started only on a very big scale (the whole state!) in the year 2000. And they can say that the project is a success and even gave a positive impulse to the community.
Read: The Maine Idea: A Computer for Every Lap or watch the quicktime video about the project and its impact.
Quicktime video: The Maine Idea
So i guess the prep/k-12 school is doing very well on these innovative projects, i just wonder where do the students go when they are ready for High-school/University?
I think it’s time to act and make an environment where »our« students and future students will recognize themselves for now and the future.
Edgar
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