The use of technology in High Schools

I just read a very interesting article written by Jacobsen and Friesen (see link below).  The authors discuss how technology use by students in high school classrooms is generally not as effective as it can be.  Current use of technology is generally about delivery of teacher selected ideas rather than on the building or creating of knowledge. To improve this teachers need to find ways to engage students in meaningful learning opportunities using technology.  The authors give a very clear example of how this can be achieved in the classroom. 
On a personal note my own children, would often tell me about how much time they spent listening, or watching the teacher during their high school years.  My son would often say that attending classes was a waste of time. Yet, during his free time he would often use the internet as a source for finding information and learning new skills, especially when it came to fixing his car.  My son complained that classes were boring and he could read the content of the course and do the assignments on his own much quicker than attending class. He just wanted to be 'done with it' (high school) . In the end, he chose to complete several courses independently by distance learning.  I can't help but think that if his classes would have been engaging and authentic, how this would have led to much richer learning experience in high school.  I'd like to send this article to every high school teacher I know.


Jacobsen, M., and Friesen, S. (2011). Web Exclusive: Hands On vs. Hands Up: Technology-Enabled Knowledge Building in High School. Education Canada, Spring 2011. Online: http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/web-exclusive-hands-vs-hands-technology-enabled-knowledge-building-high-sch

Back to school...again!

I'm officially back to school, this time at University of Calgary. I'm beginning down the path towards my PhD in Environmental Design.
My research interests are in the areas of designing learning environments, particularly for young children.  More specifically, I hope to find ways to facilitate the creation of learning environments for rural children who do not have necessarily have daily access to a traditional school.