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Educational reality
Everything Timothy Wilson said in his March 5 letter to the editor is happening because we are stuck in the 19th century as far as educational teaching methods and teaching with technology is concerned. YouTube has thousands of videos on what can and is being done to bring educational systems into the 21st century, and Finland is the world’s leader in innovation and results, but I haven’t found a single person in Hawaii, Guam, or Saipan that has taken the time to look into it. Not one! What little technology that is available is not being utilized at all in a meaningful way.
Again, YouTube has it all laid out in easy-to-understand videos that even a teacher can understand. But wait, surprise, surprise, YouTube is blocked in every school in Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan. The single greatest repository of information and knowledge ever assembled on the planet is unavailable to our students. Today’s kids can get around the block, of course, but without teachers using YouTube for learning, it doesn’t make any difference whether it’s blocked or not. Our kids need a challenge and touch screen tablets, the Internet, and YouTube can keep them engaged and interested in this 21st century. Just YouTube “education in Finland” and “technology in the classroom” and be sure to filter by upload date and only watch videos not more than a year old.
Here is a 5 minute video that highlights Finland’s system: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6jJy-lmoWA.
Gary Dubrall
Chalan Piao, Saipan
