Teaching With Technology
January 20, 2008
A fun debate is brewing on several other education blogs, as Scott McLeod posted that teachers should be required to teach using up-to-date technology. Pete Reilly continued the discussion, and the comments that have been left in response to his post have been very thought-provoking. Just when it might have seemed that there was some consensus that, yes, teaching technology should be mandatory, in came this post entitled “Classroom Technology as an Expensive Distraction,” which argues that the basics are far more important that trendy tech teaching. A quote that best summarizes that article states:
“Technology isn’t essential for teaching. Connecting to one’s students is what’s important. Making them care, and teaching them how to find it is important. The tools we use don’t change substantially what they learn.”
It’s a great discussion, and the key question in my mind is this: Is technology a tool that can be used to teach other, more “real” stuff, or does technology merit being part of the curriculum all on its own? I personally remember spending lots of time learning how to program in BASIC and Pascal, learning Boolean Algebra, and figuring out software programs that have long since been abandoned. So was that all a waste, or did I learn tech principles that enable me to adapt to new technologies better than I otherwise would have? And what did I NOT have the opportunity to learn as a result of all the time I spent working with those now-obsolete technologies?
Ten years from now, will our current students be saying the same thing about HTML, Microsoft Office, and wikis? If so, are they still viable tools in the meantime?
Entry Filed under: Computers, Education, Elementary Education, Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, High Schools, Internet, Learning, Middle School, School 2.0, Secondary Education, Students, Teaching, school, technology, web. .
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1.
Steve Rosenbaum | January 20, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Technology is a threat to job security which is a key motivator in any unionized environment. So one question to ask is, will technology make teachers better or will it make teachers obsolete. It’s part of the question about the future model of education.
2.
Mathew | January 20, 2008 at 7:11 pm
As many low-income students are not gaining experience with technology outside of school it’s important to put tech in their hands just so that they gain experience using it.
Clever teachers can find ways of integrating that technology into their regular curriculum so that it does not take time “away” from core subjects but is used as a tool to teach those subjects.
3.
Katy | January 20, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I am part of a Curriculum Advisory Team that looks over proposed new curriculum and teaching materials prior to being approved by our school board. Being a third grade teacher, it is always interesting to see different proposed curricula for middle and high school.
This past month a high school drama teacher proposed a film class that incorporates technology to actually make films. I was shocked hearing we were one of a few districts in the area not offering such classes. We have offered film classes, but not this extent.
As a teacher and taxpayer, I had rush of emotions run through me as I was hearing the proposal. This strongest emotion was thankfullness. Being so tuned in to the needs of her students, this teacher contacted 20 different districts to discuss their curriculum, met with our Superintendent of Instruction, drafted a 15-page proposal, and met with our curriculum team to see if this class and curriclum could be approved for next year.
By reading the curriculum proposal, there definitely is a need for this class. We need to create safe avenues for students to learn technology by passionate teachers. I guess I can’t help but think…if this teacher hadn’t gone through the work to propose this new class who would have? And how many students would we have missed in the meantime?
4.
eyeingtenure | January 20, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Thanks for the link.
Re: Commenter
There is no immediate danger that teachers will become obsolete from current technology, any more than there was a danger that old-school film projectors would put teachers out of work.
Robots aren’t quite that awesome, yet.
5.
Steve Rosenbaum | January 20, 2008 at 9:22 pm
In a corporate environment, the role of trainers has changed and few companies actually have staff trainers anymore. They don’t have an investment in infrastructure so they can do what works the best for them. I’ve worked with some division of Fortune 500 companies that have 1 person training departments.
Technology that is big includes web conferencing, elearning, simulations, etc. We even using blackberry’s as delivery platforms.
6.
tgels | January 21, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Your question, “…what did I NOT have the opportunity to learn as a result of all the time I spent working with those now-obsolete technologies?” really strikes home with me.
I’m definitely an advocate of technology in the classroom, but I’ve started to wonder if it might actually be getting in the way of my teaching effort (which, as a second year teacher, is still developing).
Just a thought.
7.
Tim | January 21, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I forgot to put the link to this article in my previous comment. It (as well as some other material such as the post I’m commenting to) has really got me looking at what is at the core of my teaching effort.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/25/AR2007122501423.html