Grrr

Sorry, but Grrr!!!
Why do companies that are employed (and paid) to provide internet services to schools think they have the right to dictate what can happen?  They don't work in schools, they don't consult with teachers, but they make things so difficult.  Since when is Wikispaces a site that is likely to be dangerous?  Since when is Voicethread suspect?  And to really make me angry, last week I couldn't send teachers to a video on the Core Education site.  Really?  You have to be kidding!  To get sites unblocked, you have to go through each one individually and be really specific about which bits you want access to.  Do they realise how difficult they are making it?  Many schools just give in to them, which is just plain wrong. It took lots of arm twisting and threats from the people I was working with to get around these issues which really makes me wonder who pays the bills.  Who is the client? This has been happening for far too long.  I now ask who is the provider when I walk in so I can at least relax (some are good, don't get me wrong here), or get sites checked (but most are really evil) before i start.  Time to stand up and make yourselves heard schools.  You pay for the service, kick them out if they don't work for you.

Here's a novel idea -  they could follow the teaching as inquiry model and ask - what does the client know/need to know and do first.  Then they could make sure the client knows how to use the system effectively (we stopped being the sage on the stage many years ago now - they shouldn't hold that power over us).  It's us that are using the system so we need to say how it works.  And stop with all that 'we're keeping you safe' rubbish. Big brother died in 1984.  Perhaps then a system could be  created and trialled and then some feedback could offer them direction for changes to make it better and simpler.  Utopia? Hmmm.

Sorry for the rant folks, but I've waited for this to change for far too long.  I just don't see it improving and you deserve better.