Technology and Education
Alan November presents a very interesting article on the use of technology in classrooms, and if it is truly beneficial or more harmful toward learning.
I am very impressed with the opening paragraph to the article because it immediately captured my attention and sucked me in to wanting to read this article. Just seeing a child having said "Dad, I'm disappointed in you" would make my heart sink if I ever saw or heard a child say that. Children have a perception of the internet being this great resource and if something is from the internet, it is good. It seems that creativity was lacking in the family of the boy who did win that derby, because they researched and used the internet and won rather than being creative with an original idea.
An important statement to consider is November stating "kids are growing up digital". This is so true. I am only 21 myself, but when I was in elementary or middle school, we barely used the internet for research. Recently, this past semester, I had interned in a preschool and the children were spending time in the library playing "educational games" on computers--merely 3 and 4 year olds! How can society justify that, and is it a good idea to expose such young children to these technologies?
I think that it is true that this "is a very exciting time to be alive and to be involved in technology and in education" because this is the age of innovation, or so I have heard that term recently. We can move ahead as a society, but at the same time be moving behind and widening a gap. By schools being focused on technology in the classroom, what happens to the districts that are left behind? Or all the schools in the nation may have technologies, but what if the students at home do not. November states "schools will actually be contributing to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer" which is true. Going forward to student teaching in the fall in my district, I was told not to require typed assignments because the majority of students do not either have a computer or a printer at home. And yes they could use libraries, but most of them cannot find time to go to a library for other reasons interfering with their education. This has become a foreign concept to me because in college I was so used to everything being required "typed" and never thought to assign anything otherwise.
"Connecting people together is the big change" because now the world is smaller than it ever was with video feeds and being able to cross-country or world-wide connect to other schools, businesses, families, etc. based on the technologies created. However, those who cannot afford such what seem basic "luxuries" that only rifts them apart from the technological world. This form of connecting provides information and communication revolutions, but is viewed upon as technological advancements.
More so, the internet isn't always reliable, but I was surprised by the examples that were provided in this article. The sites should have been reliable--they were ".edu" sites and I would have even questioned reliability (I know my history, but why something like that would be published on an educational, let alone a college site, is beyond my comprehension). Then again, the student should have the skills to move forward and realize that other searches had a plethora of information on the Holocaust so why choose the one site that does not relate to the other finds? They need to be trained to find discrepancies and to search for reliable information. However, I disagree with the statement of "don't teach children to use the Internet unless you're willing to teach them to think and discriminate" because then students may find ideas online and try to pass it off as their own and instead you are faced with copyright and plagiarism issues.
Lastly, the video footage of classrooms and the online course requirement are abstract but seem to be plausible. As a society, it seems that we want a microscopic lens on everything and to always have "evidence". I feel that there will be criticism beyond criticism of videos in the classroom, and may turn off many teachers from wanting to pursue that profession. More so, the idea of the high school or even college-required online classes could be beneficial, but you run the risk of people being dishonest and pretending to take a course for someone else. That is against the integrity and academic codes, but having taken about 10+ online courses myself, no one monitors to make sure all of your reading is done, and even though I did my own work I always wondered what if people had others doing their work? I knew one person who was not strong in math and had a sibling that was good at math take an online math class for them (I found about this after the girl had completed her semester, but the thought never even crossed my mind until I spoke to her and had no idea how to react...because then this person is receiving a degree or credit for something which they didn't do).
It is important to consider the importance of technology, but not to over-rely on everything. Teaching in a lecture or just focusing on material is good, but you cannot rely on a smartboard for every lesson. You need to have a backup plan in case power goes out. Besides, students need to know how to not consult technology for everything--it is a good resource but that is what it is, a resource, not a way of life.
I agree with a lot of what you said, and you bring up a lot of great points. I cannot believe that a preschool had 3 and 4 year olds playing computer games. Preschool is not supposed to be able technology; it's supposed to be about socialization and learning letter, numbers, colors and shapes. I have 2 nieces and 2 nephews. Both of my nephews (ages 6 and 8) have iPods, Nintendo 3Ds, access to a laptop, Wii and Playstation 3. I find this amount of technology that they know how to use and use very often to be disgusting. When I was there age, I'd spend the day outside or would play with my Barbie's or just use my imagination. It can be very hard to pull them away from technology to do something else. It frustrates me. What bothers me more is that their sister (age 3) follows them and knows how to use most of the technology as well. I could beat my sister for allowing that to happen.
ReplyDeleteI also really liked your comment about the potential gap that could be created if some schools have technology and some don't. I don't want to say that schools should not have technology; I believe it can be a great learning tool, but the achievement gap is only going to get bigger. Poor schools can barely afford to keep their schools up to code never mind having the money to buy Smartboards and laptops or iPads for each student. I watched this amazing video called "Waiting for Superman" in my educational psychology class during the fall semester, and it really opened my eyes up to the problems in schools today. Schools that do not have a cafeteria or bathrooms within the building. Could you imagine having to walk outside during the winter so you could use the restroom?!? I think that educators and school district officials need to use technology with caution as to not increase the size of the gap any further.
Kalyn, the little kids are outsmarting us in technology...as shameful as this is to say...I was babysitting not even a fully 3 year old boy and he is the one who knew how to work my iPhone and asked me where angry birds was and the only reason I learned what angry birds was from him...I was horrified at the fact a 3yr old knew how to operate an iPhone, and knew how to play a rather violent game. I didn't even know how to react!
ReplyDeleteRemember the days when we were told that we HAD to learn cursive because all of our high school essay would require an aptitude in cursive? Ha. Haha. Because that totally did (not) happen. Luckily, I think our generation lucked out because we can do basic cursive (I can do the whole lowercase alphabet), whereas I doubt that my younger cousin now in middle school could do the same. It's something we all laugh about, but in reality it's a little sad. My great-aunt writes BEAUTIFUL cursive letters to us every month and I feel as though this 'art form' will soon disappear.
ReplyDeleteMy musing relates to your response because you pointed out that "kids are growing up digital" and question the various pros and cons of this statement. I feel as though one of the greatest dangers of technology is not what it physically replaces (books, etc), but what it replaces symbolically and more abstractly. For example, these pre-schoolers who are playing educational games on the computer...yes, they are becoming technologically savvy at an early age, ensuring that they are better equipped to enter the digital world at an earlier age, but they are also losing certain 'personal' interactions.
Might libraries eventually become a home mainly for computer stations, rather than books and other print sources? What of librarians? Will they eventually be replaced behind the desk with a tech specialist? I have fond memories of my school's librarian and I'd be saddened to know that other children would not have the same interactions. My librarian encouraged our imaginations and was an excellent storyteller. I'm not saying that we should limit technology in the classroom, but it should not overtake our schools like an infestation, being promoted at the expense of other meaningful interactions.
I still know how to do cursive but know that when taxing the SATs no one knew how to and it took such a long time. I remember in 3rd grade learning cursive and the teacher telling us that is all we would have to use in high school and I never did once.
ReplyDeleteWow, you guys write a lot! As Kate said before, I fall under the 'concise' category.
ReplyDeleteMarta, I like your thoughts on video in the classroom. Our society definitely wants a microscopic lens on everything. I would be totally turned off from teaching if I knew I was being recorded every second. What other professions have to deal with that? Very, very few. Teaching should be no different.