Push technology...the future

‘High schools are obsolete … by that I mean that, even when they are working exactly as designed (they) cannot teach our kids what they need to know today.’

Bill Gates, Conference of State Governors, February 2005

This is a dramatic statement with which we may well disagree! But Bill Gates has transformed the world and did indeed put a PC in almost every home. His comments are worth heeding.

Push or pull?

We thought the Internet and Google were amazing enough. Currently, most of us will be retrieving our information from the internet by using search engines, i.e. we are searching for relevant pages and then ‘pulling’ that information to ourselves – ‘pull technology’. Although we are used to finding the information that we want, it often takes a very long time to do so. Surely there are better methods available? Well, we are being told that yes, there are.

Increasing it is being suggested that we have information ‘pushed’ to us. ‘Push technologies’ deliver information to the user so all they have to do is receive it. Radio, television are push technologies – and on the computer – email is push technology. Email is delivered to the recipient so they don't have to work to get it, they just open their Inbox and there it is. This ease of use with minimum effort on the part of the recipient is one of the reasons why the use of email has greatly outstripped all other internet applications since its creation, even after the explosive development of the Web.

But why do I need this technology?

This is the way information will be brought to students in the future. We have to equip them for the world as it will be. We need to develop in them the higher order skills in order that they can effectively handle information: assess it, evaluate it and use it meaningfully.

Newscuttings on the Autonomy site from the FT and New Scientist discuss ‘meaning based computing’ from Autonomy which is in use in the world’s largest corporations (www.autonomy.com). Examples on the site show how keyword searches can let the side down, whereas the Autonomy system instead uses statistical techniques to return information and phrases related to, but not necessarily including, the search terms entered.

eZeSchools seeks to bring an innovative approach to improving educational learning opportunities. We are working to ensure that our pupils are not denied access to technology that is available now, and are therefore delighted to include the facilities of push technology in the eZeSchools package of solutions for schools.

The new technologies are changing the way students interact with information, advancing their knowledge and understanding, and stimulating thought and creativity. We hope to make this technology available to your pupils, bringing resources to students as they work, making use of text, audio and video.