TeachThinkTech

A new study finds that teachers in higher performing countries earn higher pay than their counterparts in the U.S. and have more time to collaborate with peers.

Authors also note that entry into teacher preparation programs in top performing countries is highly selective, mirroring the higher level of prestige associated with the profession in those countries vs. the U.S., where many teacher prep programs have lower academic standards for entry than college football programs.

Via eSchool News:

In a finding that might surprise some people, younger teachers who are newer to the profession were no more likely to use technology than teachers with 10 or more years of experience, the study found. “Newer teachers might very well use technology more in their personal lives, but when it comes to frequency of technology use in classrooms, they don’t seem to have any edge over veteran teachers,” the report notes.

Don Knezek, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education, said this finding is supported by his own experience in talking with school administrators. Administrators tell him “they don’t have to convince new teachers to check their eMail any more,” Knezek said—but they’re still not integrating technology any more frequently in their instruction.

There could be two reasons for this, Knezek added: Either they are coming out of teacher preparation programs unprepared to integrate technology effectively, or they’re entering a school environment where they’re not encouraged to do so.

Read the full article here.

Singularity Hub has an article on its site (with additional videos) of classroom robots currently in development in Korea and Japan.

The Korean robot, designed for preschools, sings songs and will allow parents to see into their childrens’ classes.

The Japanese robot, intended to help foster student interest in science and engineering, apparently has a projector built into one of its “fingers.”  (If it goes mad one day a la Terminator, RoboCop, or the Cylons and runs amok, it won’t vaporize you with a laser beam.  It will just bore you slowly to death with PowerPoint slides.) 

While the technology is cool, the robots are still years away from regular practical use.

Still, maybe educators should take these clips as a early notice that, if schools cling to the mass production “factory model” with teacher-centered classrooms and highly prescriptive curricula, machines can someday replace them like they have already replaced so many assembly line workers in auto factories.

Click here for the full article.