Class divide

Dave sees Cisco's latest wowbox and questions whether all technology ever is cloud cuckoo nonsense

Now, I love technology as much as the next man (assuming the next man has at least a passing acquaintance with turnkey holistic virtualisation). But sometimes I can't help but raise an eyebrow at some of the highfalutin pontifications spouted by IT types.

Last week, I had the pleasure of listening to John Chambers at the Cisco Live event in London's fashionable Docklands. He displayed his typical childlike sense of wonder when playing with a new toy designed to bring tech innovation into the classroom.

We saw how, using a tablet-style phone, a teacher could touch a pupil's thumbnail icon to see a detailed breakdown of their top subjects, grade fluctuations, attendance record and term-by-term hopscotch performance.

If there's cause for concern, another quick screen touch can bring you into a WebEx conference with the variously located parents and child. The participants can then share photos of recent class projects and PowerPoint slides of soon-to-be-completed homework.

John, I have to agree it looked cool. Way cool. But, seriously, mate - do you not watch the news? Most schools probably don't have the money to replenish Bunsen burner or gym mat supplies. And how many parents can sit at work and have a 15-minute video powwow about suspected plagiarism in little Jack or Chloe's essay on A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Whatever next? How about an iPhone app that lets homeless people find a bed for the night? Or video solutions that allow inner-city substance dependants to virtually attend NA meetings?