DAVID BARTLETT’s paper (The Connected School) is an interesting and thought provoking addition to Tasmanian Times and I thank him for it.

However, I also believe that it is advocating an approach which is dangerously flawed and quite wrong for reasons I shall address shortly.

History will remember the post 1990 period as one of most important times of the current age.  The almost inconceivable rise and growth of the Internet and IT generally sets this time apart with respect to the haste of development and technological uptake.

The way in which electronic communication and electronic commerce has changed our way of life is comparable to the effect of the motor car early in the twentieth century.

A motor car is a resource and a tool, just as IT is a resource and a tool.  The most fundamental rule that users of information technology should live by is that technology is the tool, within an overall way of life.

Putnam’s thesis, Bowling Alone, correctly identifies a significant shift in social structure and interaction.  Putnam recognises the decline of actual community based interaction and the increase of “individualised” recreation and interaction.

If we wish to maintain the way of life that we are accustomed to, then it is this very concept which needs to be controlled, and to some extent arrested.

Mr Bartlett’s idea of the “connected school” fosters and encourages an insular and technology dependent society.  By placing an increased emphasis and importance upon electronic technologies and their modern uses within the school, students are at risk of falling further behind in the acquisition of traditional academic and social skills.

Further, a technology focussed school undoubtedly blinkers students to non-technological alternatives for communication, employment and learning.  It moves the student away from the ‘technology as a tool’ principle, to ‘technology as the way’.  This is dangerous and erroneous attitude.

Mr Bartlett says “What if we designed school as an ideas generator?” and “What if we designed schools as an ideas harvester?”.  But they already are; that is precisely the function of the modern, and indeed historic school.  All of this can be done without the sole focus being technology.

Insular and segregated

Of particular concern are the statements: “The connected school…houses other public service functions, such as police, health services…”, “The connected school might offer low cost housing for teachers, nurses and other community leaders” and “The connected school would open at least 16 hours of the day, probably at least until midnight…”.

This can only serve to promote one society —  an insular and segregated community not able, and not willing to liaise with wider society.  What possible good can this achieve?  A school needs to foster links with the wider community, not restrict it to within the walls of a gated community.

The idea of a school becoming a business incubator with “Students developing software [to] enhance their skills and work towards creating their own business, rather than working at McDonalds on the weekend”.

There is only so much electronic business that can take place before the market drowns, creating a glut of otherwise unskilled and unemployed people.  Further, working at a fast food restaurant or supermarket is just the kind of job which allows a young person to interact at a commercial level with the wider community whilst gaining an appreciation for different people, cultures, attitudes and ideals.

Of further concern “...students using SMS and other technologies could vote on anything…”.  Nothing replaces raising your hand, and nothing further degrades communication than expressing your intellectual capacity over a 160 character SMS.

It is crucial that we as a society maintain our focus on inter-personal relations whilst recognising the substantial value that information technology holds.

Again, I thank David Bartlett for his stimulating paper and I hope that my response is taken in the spirit of debate for which it was intended.

Geoff Rollins has a degree in Information Systems majoring in Electronic Commerce.

Earlier,
The Connected School