This article was really interesting. I thought it complimented the last article we read about the Oregon Trail CD-ROM critique well. They both addressed the point that computers, computer programs, or technology of any sort “do not have the same educational weight as good teachers […]” (Tell). In The I-Generation—from Toddlers to Teenagers: A Conversation with Jane M. Healy, Carol Tell writes about her discussion with Healy, an author and educator, who has been a huge advocate of computers and the latest technology being incorporated into the classroom for over 20 years now. However, her views on educational technology have radically changed as she is now quite cautious of such an integration and dependence.
It was interesting to get a fresh perspective. Not long ago we read Resnick’s Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age, which was all for finding ways to incorporate any and every cutting edge technology into educational settings. I think a lot of the points made were really important for teachers to consider. We have a responsibility to do a little research ourselves. We can’t just trust that because something is advertised as the best, the latest, or a miracle quick fix to a student’s educational struggles, that it is what is most beneficial for them. A good question to ask is if what the child is doing is meaningful enough to be taking up school time. Ask the important questions. “Who is defining the learning? What can we do with this technology in terms of curriculum and learning that we can't do as efficiently by beefing up other more proven methods? Whose mind is really dong the thinking?” The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to teach our students what they need to be successful. Technology can be very useful, but I think we need to be critical and skeptical, for our students’ sake.
Shelby,
ReplyDeleteI really liked the thoughts you shared in this blog. You took a much larger view of this article than I did which is great! I really enjoyed how you connected Healy's words to the articles we have read before. You even compared some. What a wonderful way to look at this article! I also liked, and agreed with, the questions that you posed. I think we are all quickly learning, from these articles, that being critical and asking questions are some of the best moves we can make as future teachers. These are the types of moves that can help us better educate our students. Sometimes I think we all get so caught up in our "digital craze" that we lose sight of what our students are truly learning. Overall, great thoughts girl!
Shelb -
ReplyDeleteYour blog rocked. I agree that we have a responsibility as teachers to research what materials we're using in our classrooms. Just as with The Oregon Trail, using any technology in the classroom needs to be thought about critically before we jump into taking up precious instructional time. We need to really think about if the technology will enhance the learning in an educationally meaningful way or not. I thought it was interesting how Carol Tell pointed out that there is very little objective research on the use of technology in the classroom. This is reason enough not to trust the research right away. More investigation is necessary.