Facing The Facts

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This week I want to discuss our use of technology. There is no getting away from it. It is everywhere you look. You may not use a lot of it, you may not like it but you still have to face it whether you like it or not. In fact, if you listen to Bill Buxton, who recently spoke on an episode of Spark (episode 66) we have been using technology for a long time. What are the preset buttons on your car radio? Are they not bookmarks? Is not the radio the earliest form of streaming music? He goes on to say that the computer is only a different package for what we have been using for years. If you would like, an evolved pencil, and so much more. The big difference is that we now use one tool in place of the hundreds of tools we use to use. We use it instead of the pencil, DVD player, TV, radio, record player, game consol, finance books, tax forms, recipe book, telephone, type writer, etc. Is it any wonder that we spend so much time on it?

Now what we are doing in our schools is training our students to use this multiple tool called technology in a manner that honours our Lord and brings balance to their lives. This is done by training teachers, students and parents not only how to use the technology but how to apply the character of Christ in its usage. Considering the almost single minded usage of this technology by our students and the technology challenged parents they have, it ends up being a very tall order; but not impossible.

Imagine if we started a Social Studies group comprised of teachers, parents and students who took on the challenge of sharing information about one new country every two weeks. In a year we would be well versed in 26 countries. In the five years of Secondary we would have learned about 120 countries and their cultures. Through technology it is possible to follow blogs from each country over the two weeks, watch videos, listen to its music, discover the news, learn new recipes, learn a bit of language. This is only one simple form in which technology can be used in a way to bring us closer to other people and their cultures.

There are too many ideas and possibilities to list them all here but we do need to understand that the Father has allowed weeds to grow among the wheat. There is evil amongst the good. We need to understand this and learn how to help our children walk through this mine field without destroying themselves. This requires training. This requires vigilance. This requires diligence. Parents must be involved in all their children's online activities. There is no other way to protect them. Remember that the Father has lent us these children and expects us to raise them according to his ways, and to keep them safe.

We will be conducting training in all the schools over the next couple of months. We are making this training mandatory for all parents. Without it we will not accept your child's application to our school. If we are going to be training the students in this area of technology we need to make sure the homefront is covered as well. So when the dates are announced please make every effort to be in attendance. Together we are forming a team that will surround these children in love, accountability and mentoring.

Our children cannot afford for us to stick our heads in the sand. We need to face the fact we must learn this stuff. Their future, and maybe their eternity depends on it.