There is a potential in education for
technology to be highly influential, and also for it to be detrimental to
student learning. In my experience
as an educator the use of technology has certainly been both. I have taught in situations that have
given me the opportunity to use many types of technology and for students to
have access to them as well, and in places that were totally void of
technological resources. In both
situations, my job was the same regardless of how I was able to teach the
material, I still had to find a way to engage the students and foster their
understandings of the material.
With
the ever-changing standards and methods that teachers are expected to conform
to, it is hard to keep up with the newest technology. Even if a new tool comes out that can “change the face of
education”, it will take a long period of time for teachers to master it,
schools to adopt it, and students to be comfortable enough with it to use it
independently. By then, another
invention will come in a sweep it out of the way. Even then, if students have access to
the technology at school, that may be the only place they are able to use it,
which creates an issue of not being able to solve the problem in the same way
outside of the classroom. I agree
with the first article that “transforming” the educational system to be more
attainment-based rather than time-based would serve the students better, but I
am not sure that everyone who needs to be involved in the transformation is
willing to invest as much time and money as it will take. It cannot be something that the
educational system is solely working towards, but that society as a whole deems
important (Reigeluth, 2002). The
author spoke about how “our teaching methods might not only shift from active
to passive learning, but also help develop initiative and responsibility in
learners for their own learning.” (Reigeluth, 2002, p.10) Developing this drive in students to be
responsible and motivated is something technology cannot help us master, as of
now I am not aware that there is an app for that!
The
second article struck a chord with me as it introduced to idea of technology by
stating “If I do harbor any hostility toward these machines, it is only because
they are distractions. They divert
the intelligence and energy of talented people from addressing the issues we
need most to confront” (Postman, 1993).
I agree that students,
teachers, and administrators alike are distracted by all of the shiny bells and
whistles of the newest and greatest technologies. Often in my own classroom, I feel that I need to put on a
show, jump and dance in front of my students, in order to keep their
attention. They are so used to
watching an action packed episode of their favorite show that includes exciting
music and the newest graphics that listening to me talk or show still pictures
bores them. I even hear my 3rd
graders talk about wanting to check their facebook to see what’s happening
during the day, as if other students their age are busy posting their status
rather than engaging in lessons in their own classrooms.
The
author also discussed the information overload that is associated with
increased technology. “These
technologies will give our students greater access to more information faster,
more conveniently, and in more various forms than has ever been possible” (Postman,
1993). I feel that this can be considered
both a blessing and a curse. The ability
to access and apply information is the basis for learning, but if a
student is overwhelmed with the amount of information and is not able to apply
it, then there is no use for the material to begin with. In my classroom, I feel that I am
fostering the relationship between students and the knowledge they need to gain,
and if information is coming in too quickly for students to grasp I am unable
to do that job.
Children
are fascinated and stimulated by technology as it grabs their attention and in
most cases allows them to be engaged easily. We must be careful as educators though because we must also
ensure that students are learning about how to behave in social situations,
solve problems without resources, and take care of their own needs. Not all situations in life will require
students to be technologically proficient.
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