On education and technology
Op-ed: Israel, the 'startup nation,' treats its teachers like those in developing countries
In the age of the Internet and the information revolution, the teacher has become irrelevant as an “information source.” How did this happen? Other priorities within the Ministry of Education, a lack of proper attention to changes and progress, a cut in budgets, a lack of systemic understanding about where to focus when it comes to technological training of teachers – all these have positioned the status of teachers in Israel at the bottom of the social and professional ladder. In a world that salutes knowledge, the “information source” of the past – the teacher – is no longer recognized as such.
Google is the new king. Today’s students are born into the new information age, and their fingers control all the buttons and hundreds of thousands of applications. Their level of control greatly surpasses that of their teachers, who do not have the skills or training required to effectively teach the children of the new information revolution.
Teachers who do not use online knowledge sources or computer presentations, videos and games to teach their students, perhaps will not turn into “morons.” Having said that, their students will miss many learning experiences now possible, and will probably enjoy their lessons less, be less focused, and cause disruptions more often. Moreover, they will be at a competitive disadvantage compared with their peers in Israel and abroad who enjoy the benefits of studying under teachers with computers and professional computer-related training.
When my two-year-old granddaughter takes an iPad and opens – by herself, at the flutter of her finger – a story, song or game, it’s simply not acceptable for her nursery school teacher to have no idea what she’s talking about. What will happen in another four years when she starts first grade? I am anxious thinking about it, and you should start being anxious too.
Advanced online lessons, software in Israel
The amount of online lessons, videos and other instructional tools available today in Israel is amazing. New teaching systems and self-learning possibilities throughout the world, from elementary schools through universities, are so numerous that many experts expect to see a “breaking down of the school walls” and a revolutionary change in teaching methods.
In Israel, the world’s most advanced educational software programs have been developed. Organizations and portals such as the Center for Educational Technology (“Matach”), Snunit and Galim, as well as many other publishers, have developed amazing software applications and powerful databases for use by teachers and students. The Ministry of Education is forcing publishers to convert all published books to digital formats accessible on the Web. So what’s the problem? Not all teachers have personal computers at their disposal in order to access and utilize these books and programs.
Geography teachers who uses old methods such as a two-dimensional map hanging from a nail or an old atlas – and who do not use Google Earth or National Geographic videos to explain geographic phenomena, places and attractions around the world – are hurting their students and slowing down their educational growth. Science and biology teachers who do not use three-dimensional videos to demonstrate natural phenomena that can’t be explained using other methods are hurting their students and undermining their progress. Whoever hasn’t seen a math teacher in Afula engage his third-grade students using fun math games on a personal laptop computer has not seen the joy of teaching and learning math.
Can any parent imagine that a teacher of her or his child, of any age, will not have access to a laptop computer in order to show a presentation or video during class, or communicate with students and/or parents during or after the school day? Absurd, no?
Functional illiteracy
In my view, a teacher without a personal computer is a terrible thing, and has a destructive influence on our children. Yet the vast majority of teachers in Israel do not have a personal laptop computer, and some 80% of teachers have not received appropriate professional training. Many of today’s teachers are requested to use haphazard means, such as using PCs in their homes or even bringing their own computers to school.
Every knowledge worker in every company or organization, whether private or public, has a computer or access to a computer for her or his work. I am not familiar with even one manager who has recruited even the lowest level secretary who does not know how to send emails, type Word documents, and enter data into Excel worksheets or PowerPoint presentations. These are basic things, and those who do not know how to do such things are considered “functional illiterates.”
We as parents are obligated to ensure that every teacher has the most advanced tool kit at her or his disposal, so that the generation of tomorrow will be at the forefront of technology.
The “functional illiterates” of this century are those who: are unfamiliar with the new computing language and concepts; do not know how to use programs, applications and search engines; and do not have the training or tools to effectively use new information systems. The “functional illiterates” of this century will not find financially satisfactory work, and apparently won’t be effective in social networking. What does the future hold for a student whose teacher is “functionally illiterate”? Time will tell. Would you agree for such a teacher to instruct your child or grandchild?
Disturbing phenomenon
A phenomenon that bothers me is when mayors initiate popular campaigns of distributing tablet computers to children (paid by their parents), but ignore the teachers and do not provide them with personal laptops. I have expressed my opinion about distributing tablets to children in a previous article. In short, it’s still too early for that – first, provide a laptop to every teacher.
In 2007, the Ministry of Education teamed up with Athena Fund, the initiator of the “Laptop Computer for Every Teacher in Israel” program. Athena Fund cooperates with the Israel Teachers Union, Bank Massad, and numerous additional donors, including the Ted Arison Family Foundation and IDI-Israel Direct Insurance. Providing a laptop computer and professional training, the program has distributed close to 8,000 laptops in over 200 communities throughout Israel.
A drop in the ocean
Gideon Sa’ar, who was enthusiastic about the program initiated by Athena Fund, became minister of education in 2009. In 2010, the Ministry began its national computing program, and over two years distributed close to 25,000 laptops (accompanied by professional training) to elementary school teachers in the northern, southern and Jerusalem districts. The Haifa, Tel Aviv, center and settlement districts were left out of the distribution program. While this was a welcome occurrence, it was a drop in the ocean.
In Israel, there are more than 120,000 school and kindergarten teachers; the vast majority of them does not have, nor will have in the coming years, a personal laptop computer for accessing all the wonderful content in Israel and abroad on behalf of our children. Since laptops need to be replaced every three to four years, all the teachers who previously received laptops from Athena Fund and the Ministry of Education will need replacement laptops.
There is a solution
To all those who give up and say that there’s nothing to be done, I say that there is a way. Athena Fund already has been doing it for six years. The solution is to be found in cooperation among all relevant players and a national call to action.
Since our children are the future human assets of our state, it is a national and moral obligation to ensure that we will have teachers equipped with the most advanced technologies. If we do not provide our children with the best possible teachers, we will not compete successfully with the advanced education provided in many countries worldwide.
Not only do our soldiers need to be equipped with the most advanced technologies, but also our teachers – the “officers” of our children and grandchildren – need to be appropriately equipped.
I call upon our new minister of education to courageously join forces with all relevant bodies, and to enlist the support of the non-profit sector in Israel and abroad, mayors in Israel, and the business sector in Israel. Together we can achieve the goal of providing a laptop computer to every teacher in Israel. This subject is close to our hearts. If we don’t want our children to be taught by “functional illiterates” then we should do the right and proper thing sooner than later.
Uri Ben-Ari is president and founder of the Athena Fund
