Friday, 21 September 2012

e-start of the school year: Backwardness?


e-books, iPads, Interactive whiteboards, serious games and other e-tools seem to guarantee us an e-start of the school year in France. Really? There are still several barriers:

- The teachers/professors: Many don't want to use e-tools because of their lack of technical knowledge. Only one out of three French professors was using e-manuals!
- The editors: In 2004, the 4 main editors of school manuals fight each other to gain the market. They create proprietary formats mutually exclusive. In 2009, they understand that e-manuals have to be compatible and build the WizWiz portal where students can find e-manuals of more than 60 editors. They enter now in competition with e-editors and serious games developers.
- The Schools: e-tools such as iPad or Interactive Whiteboard are expensive for a school budget. They also have to take into account indirect costs such as technical support and electricity.
- The Politicians: In the midst of an economic crisis, they finance a wide range of equipment with little regard for the impact on school's administrations.

The top4 of the fears of teachers about e-tools:
- Lack of maintenance: 32%
- Fear of a breakdown in the middle of his lesson: 27%
- Insufficient training: 24%
- Lack of knowledge about the e-tools: 17%

Source: L'Ordinateur Individuel, Sept. 2012, n°252, p.10-11

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