Technology in the classroom

This week's topic in my Nature of Schools course is technology in schools. If you have read other entries in my blog, you would see that I just finished taking a course called Teaching with Technology, so I have already written quite a bit on this topic. However, some other interesting links were posted for us to explore.

First, we were to watch this video. It is about using the technologies that your students are already using in order to teach. They mention many of the technologies that are out there, but the one that they give an example for is texting. It suggests allowing the students to text someone outside of school and ask them what the weather is like where they are and a couple of other informational questions. I'm sorry, but I do not think that is an appropriate assignment to give in the classroom. If a student doesn't get a response, they may text someone else. Or, they may text a friend in the next classroom. Plus, some students don't have a cell phone, so now you have created a prejudice in your class!!! There is nothing better than pointing out how "uncool" a child is because they don't have the latest technology - what kind of message is that sending?!

It also states that there is a small percentage of students that think their schoolwork is meaningful or interesting. I don't necessarily think that technology is going to be a "cure all" for this. Let's say you decide you are going to make a podcast of your lesson. The student will have to care enough to download it and listen to it! I do think that using technology in the classroom can get more students engaged, but it is ridiculous to think that it is going to make everyone love school if they don't. The real fact is, there is a devaluing of education going on in this country. More and more students do not care about school and apathy is basically an epidemic among the younger generations. Technology will be an aid in tackling this, but it won't be a cure.

Technology certainly does have its place in education, but there is a wide range of beliefs as to how much it should be incorporated. One of the other links we were given was to a report on NPR about an all-technology school in Philadelphia where there is no more use of pencils and paper! I think this is way too much of an extreme. Yes, it is important for children to be accustomed to using various technologies for when they go into the workforce, but what job will use all technology all the time? There is still something to be said about thoughts flowing from your head down to pencil and paper. Penmanship and spelling are basically going to be a thing of the past! This particular school used tablet PCs, which means students were still writing, but I would still like to see how the math lessons were taught solely with technology. Yes, this is a very green alternative, but so are white boards! Also, technology updates every few years. It would be outrageously expensive to keep that school up to date! And, it is certainly not feasible to put this in schools all across the country. There is just no money for that. Talk about the digital divide! If we think there is inequality in education now due to the resources available, imagine if some of the wealthier schools went this route. The gap will just get wider and wider. If you'd like to read more about the digital divide, here is an article which was given to us in class.

I would like to end with a quote that was in one of the many things we were given to look at this week. "It's philosophy, not technology, that is going to make a difference in your classroom" (Dr. Allen Glenn, Dean of COE, University of Washington). This is basically my point. It will be up to YOU as a teacher to get your students involved. If you can create that culture, with or without technology, your classroom will be successful! But, in order to keep your lessons relevant and connected to the real world, it will be necessary to bring in some technology - but YOU be the judge on how integrated you want to make it.