Week 1 - Technology Transformation

This week’s articles appear to cover opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to technology and education. Neil Postman presents the idea in "Of Luddites, Learning, and Life"
that technology is overwhelming everyday aspects of life, especially in education. "Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation" by Charles Reigeluth and Roberto Joseph advocates the usage of technology in education. Both articles make some important points regarding education and technology; however, my beliefs tend to align with Reigeluth and Joseph.

Postman stresses that education needs to revert back to the basic elements that people need to function in society – "share everything, play fair, don’t hit people, put things back where you found them, clean up your own mess, wash your hands before you eat, and, of course, flush." While I believe all students need to learn these, I also believe many or all of these should be taught in the home and reinforced in a school environment. I also consider school to be a place for students to develop the mental skills necessary to participate in and contribute to the community in which they live.

Another area in which I don’t agree with Postman is the idea that technology may be disruptive to the education process. I believe that technology can aid teachers in presenting concepts to students. As a teacher, I enjoy using technology in my classroom. There are many times when I can use it to emphasize a concept or lesson to students. Next week with one of my classes, I begin teaching The Canterbury Tales. One of the tales, "The Pardoner’s Tale" is interesting, but my student population struggles with meaning and interpretation. I found an animated video on the internet that demonstrates a great depiction of the tale. My students will be able to relate well to the video and when they read the tale will be able to comprehend the meaning more clearly. I can’t wait to see their reaction.

On the other hand, Reigeluth and Joseph express the necessity of technology in education. However, it is to be only a part of the entire program. They stated that "Technology is important, but it would be a mistake to look only to technology." The basis they present appears to involve a wide array of aspects for student learning. In their learning-focused paradigm for education, the principles presented hit on very key elements that make up education today. Some of the principles, however, may be difficult for each child to attain. For example, not every child will master every task or skill given to him or her. Possibly, in considering guidelines for a paradigm such as this, the powers-at-be could create a continuum of mastery depending on a student’s continued success or lack thereof. One downfall is the time that it takes to develop the information needed on each child will probably increase over a traditional education style. Budget crunches are already hurting many districts.

I agree with Reigeluth and Joseph that each child develops at his or her own pace and the education system needs to accommodate these differences. An example of this is my youngest daughter. When she was in first grade, we began to notice the struggle she had in reading. She was the oldest student in the class, but had the most difficulty in decoding words. Through much time, special services, and a great deal of practice, she finally began developing a stronger reading aptitude. Probably around the middle of fourth grade she finally achieved grade level performance some of the time on standardized assessments. My daughter loves to read and will be a developing reader for a long time. I believe part of her achievement comes from her desire to stay the same reading level as her peers. All of them had achieved mastery long before she even came close. Her reading skill is developing towards mastery. I believe mastery learning is working for my daughter. However, one question I have is -- what do we do with the children are unable to achieve mastery? Should the education system hold a student back because he or she is only developing or proficient and has not attained mastery?

Reigeluth and Joseph mention several different ways in which technology can be used, such as project-based learning, simulations, and self-regulated learning. I enjoy using technology when appropriate in my lessons. Web-quests and I-searches can be very useful when trying to help students visualize concepts and understand key elements of lessons. The world today is filled with technology. Students today need to be prepared to live and work in an adult world. An education without technology exposure would be detrimental to our future adults.