The Laptops Are Coming!

McFarlane, S. (2008). The laptops are coming! The laptops are
coming!, Rethinking Schools, 22, 22-26

Sarah Heller McFarlane, who teaches social studies at Shorewood High School in Washington, wrote this article. She advices schools to the consider the potential promises and possible dangers of using technology before accepting and/or adapting it. The author goes on to talk about the power of technology, like who benefits, which relationships are valued or not, and who determines how knowledge should be learned. These are brought out by the personal experiences as a teacher.

We are honestly experiencing a changing world as new technology becomes a part of our life, whether in the home or school. There are many challenges out there that students and community face. Some of these challenges are such that it’s hard for individuals to understand and put into words. One of the first steps to problem solving is to step out of the box and try to gain a thoughtful and unbiased perspective. Sometimes it takes thinking about what is frustrating or uncomfortable to pinpointing those areas where the problems arise and to say “Now what?” in a constructive way.