Small Impacts Can Be Felt Everywhere

Great article today that I came across entitled, “Lawmakers Say Needs of Rural Schools Are Overlooked” written by Sam Dillon.  I think it’s the same rhetoric that’s been said for a while that schools in outlying areas and rural locations don’t have the same appeal to highly qualified teachers as larger cities do.  Therefore, the rural schools cannot find those teachers with the teaching credentials needed for every subject area.

I completely see their perspective and in many ways the reality is true.  There are more opportunities and more benefits for teachers in larger metropolitan areas than in remote areas.  So the question becomes how do you still provide the same quality of education for all students if the human resources are skewed for larger cities?

With the wonderful opportunities that technology and other current equipment brings, why can't those highly qualified teachers and their lessons be piped in through video and/or audio in a real-time way?  If real-time doesn't work the information they share through video can still be viewed anytime, anywhere right?  A person doesn't have to physically be present in any one setting to have an impact in that setting.  Their presence can be broadcast anywhere to anyone.  Churches do it all the time across the globe to remote areas in which they can bring thousands of folks together at the same time through the power of video and broadcast.

So you may say that remote areas lack the infrastructure for reliable Internet connections?  Yes in some areas that is true but if those students cannot be witness to  real-time teaching isn’t a delayed broadcast still beneficial?  Every remote area is capable of having access to power and through television, that can still happen.

So I say student success is achievable; the way in which we achieve that requires more creative thought and innovation through non-traditional means.  A real gold mine for all creative thinkers!