Ubiquitous means everywhere.

Just call me Negative Nancy.

I will forever and always struggle with the idea of ubiquitous computing. Access to computers everywhere. All the time. It will always sound dangerous to me. All this is not to say that I can’t see some of the benefits. In Will Richarson’s “If Every Student Had a Computer” blog, he said something to the idea of rather than “spending huge sums [of money] on stuff that students can’t use outside of the classroom” spend it on computers that can be used ubiquitously. Richardson does have a good point. If districts are going to upgrade in technology, make sure that the technology is accessible everywhere! Richardson also made a comment to reassure people (like me) who see the challenges of ubiquitous technology. “Don’t we have enough faith that we would learn our way out of those challenges (and others I haven’t mentioned) to come out the other side with a more relevant, effective experience for our kids?” Again, he has a point. If we are teaching our students the way they need to be taught, they will use technology for their benefit.

In another blog by Will Richardson he said, “I wondered aloud to some administrators and teachers later if the stiff policies spoke volumes about what they weren’t teaching in their classrooms K-12 as their students went through the system. I mean wouldn’t it seem that if kids were taught throughout the curriculum about the ethical and appropriate use of computers and the Internet that much more of that policy could be spent going over what students could actually do with the computer rather than the “don’t dos” that were listed?” Obviously there are things that students, and people in general, simply should not be doing. But people are willing to listen when what is being said is positive, rather then negative. In whatever case we are looking at, I think it is important to let students know what they are allowed to do. To encourage them. Isn’t that how students learn best? By encouragement?