Part+8


 * Monke, Lowell W. The Overdominance of Computers. **

Deanna: In this article, the author states his belief that students need less focus and experience with technology at a younger age and instead need to have real and meaningful experiences with the world outside technology. While I do agree that these experiences with the real world are important in students’ lives, I do not believe that the elimination of technology is necessary and, furthermore, it is not plausible. Even if we can eliminate (or even reduce) the amount of technology found in the classrooms of the lower grades, we cannot eliminate technology at home and in the world outside of school. Therefore, if students are just going to use technology outside of the classroom anyways, why not show them and teach them some meaningful and educational ways to do so. I think it would be hugely beneficial to teach students how to type in elementary school. In today’s world, typing is just as important (if not more so) than writing so if we teach handwriting in grade school, we should also teach typing. I did not learn how to type until I was a senior in high school and I wish I had learned sooner. This skill would have benefitted me a great deal when writing papers for classes. I learned by taking a computer skills class that was not even required, instead it was an elective and I think that was one of the most beneficial classes I took during high school. This being said, I do think that we also need to give students experiences with non-technological material and get them to enjoy the natural world that surrounds them but we should not sacrifice technology especially in the increasingly technological world we are living in.

Becca: This article discusses the use of technology in the classroom and how it might be too much. The author argues that younger children (specifically elementary children) depend too much on technology and fail to experience the "real world". Thus, the author argues that computer coursework should not take root until students reach the secondary level. I think this article makes some valid points but also poses a very extreme viewpoint. I think the author is eight on when he states that elementary students are not developed enough to be able to understand the power of technology and the implications to their decisions. At the same time, I agree that technology has less value at and early age because students are unable to understand abstract ideas about the world. This evolves from their lack of experiences with the real world. While this articles makes a valid argument about what computer use needs to be limited in early elementary, I don't think that computers and technology should be eliminated altogether. Just like any grade level, computers should not do the teaching, but rather be used as a tool to enhance the learning experience. Therefore, children still get daily face-to-face instruction and help from their teacher and take part in things like conversations and hands on activities. Computers simply work as an additional tool to help students learn content. When technology is used as a tool for teaching rather than just the teacher, it has a great deal of value in the classroom.

Alex: This article discusses the increasing role of technologies in education and asks questions about how beneficial it really is in the development of children and their quality of learning. One of the main points the author makes about technology, particularly frequent interaction with computers, is that they act as replacements for more hands-on, experiential, tangible interactions that are likely more beneficial. Because, when using a computer, a person is interfacing with symbols that represent tangible things, they never really experience these things. A child's development is dependent upon experiential knowledge, touching, feeling, tasting and hearing. The world simulated on a screen does not provide enough of this to fulfill developmental needs. For this reason the author proposes that children should not be exposed to technology at such young ages. They need the communal, relational, tangible experiences of the real world. Like the author said, technology can only provide symbolic representations of the real world. I tend to agree with this--that the fear of our children being ill-prepared to take on the fast-moving, technological world causes us to push children into less rich world to develop in. I can't say that keeping them separated from technology in school until they are close to graduating and teaching them at the end the things they'll need to know, as the article proposes, is very beneficial. I think it's important to help students understand technology is just one tool available to aid the learning process. It is not the only tool, nor is it a necessary tool. They must take computers for what they are worth. I am not entirely sure at what age children should be introduced to different technologies in educational settings, but I do agree that we bombard them with them far too young.

Lauren:

Most educator’s automatic assumption is that computers help achievement. However, Monke ays “The more access students had to computers at school and at home, the lower their overall test scores were.” As college students, we are well aware of the distractions the computer holds for us, and we’ve spent countless hours procrastinating on Facebook & Youtube. More importantly, though, Monke goes deeper and explains why students need more face to face interactions; it helps in reading readiness.

I love how Monke writes about teaching students how to fix the problems technology has created (global warming, overuse of antibiotics, etc.) instead of putting technology on an unnecessary pedestal. I agree we need to help students “know and respect what cannot be manufactured – the natural, the living, the wild.” I had a discussion with another TA the other day regarding my preference of a book than reading online. I said I don’t think any technology can ever replace the sensation of reading a book on paper that I can feel, and he argued today’s generation will feel the same way about a kindle. He argued I love the sensation of reading a book because I was trained that way, and that’s how I learned to read, and our students are going to feel the same way about reading online and seeing the glow of a computer. This seriously discouraged me…and reading this article helped me to articulate why

Dustin: (Sorry all, I totally forgot to post these blogs!)

In this article the author argued that, "The more access students had to computers at school and at home, the lower their overall test scores were." He then went on to discuss how computers and technology need to be used less in the classroom, particularly with younger students. I strongly disagree with this assertion. While the previously stated quote may be true, failing to recognize the world as it is would be a major failure on the part of education. Technology and computers have become a part of everday life for a great deal of Americans, and that trend will only grow in the future. Instead of not teaching technology and computers, I believe instead education needs to focus on how students can use technology to enhance their academic experience. Keyboarding and writing papers on computers are essential skills that need to be taught to every student. How to properly e-mail, including using attachments is another essential skill that needs to be taught in school. Also, education should recognize the modern student's lifestyle, and help teaching them how to multitask when using a computer. We all know that the amount of distractions on the Internet are limitless, however if students learned multitasking and time management skills I believe we could help students become more productive when using computers.

Luke:

I love how this article mentions ethical implications, as well as authentic experiences. Too often we ignore the moral and ethical implications of our technology, and take it all as positive without fully examining the harms that could happen. To reply to the authentic relationships, I think that technology can be used to bring us together, but that the majority of the tools available to us try to alienate us. Things like Twitter, Half-Life classes, and even PodCasts are often supplementing real classroom instruction, which consist of touching, smelling, feeling, seeing. Keeping technology in the classroom to supplement things like note taking, lecturing, or reading can be quite helpful. I also love what it says about computers and the responsible placing of them. Let's take control of the technology instead of the reverse.

** Gow, Paul. Technology and the Culture of Learning. **

Deanna: This article is about the effects of technology in school. I’m trying to read these articles open-mindedly, but I do find myself wondering why we are complaining about technology use when we should be embracing it more and using it more in each classroom and getting more technology in schools. I do agree with his second premise that because technology makes things easier, we take on more tasks. I find this to be true every day. I have multiple things going on at once and technology helps me be able to multi-task. For instance, I can sit here and write this response while having Facebook open, chatting with friends on AIM, and texting other friends all at the same time. Technology has opened many avenues for communication and for completing tasks. Therefore, why are we not embracing that and seeing the benefits and focusing on the benefits of technology. Furthermore, we need to use these tools to teach kids more effectively and help them learn better and give them more fun ways to learn. While there are some downfalls to education, such as texting during class or sending inappropriate pictures of other students to multiple people, there are downfalls to everything and we have to turn them into positives.

Becca: I really liked this article because it evaluated both sides of technology in the classroom. The article pointed out several things that people should be worried about as well as the up-sides to technology. Some of the disadvantages that the article points out are teacher autonomy on the web, little room for students’ independence in school, and blurred perception of self, and student access to tests and other assessment files. On the other hand, the article also points out some advantages to technology in the classroom like access to more information, more opportunity for polishing and re-writing, and the ability to share ideas with others. Overall, just like anything, there remain several advantages and disadvantages to technology. I think the author sums it up best when he states,

“As teachers, we believe we know what are the fundamentals of our work, and we ought to trust ourselves to know when we are doing this work better with technology and when we are simply doing it, or doing more of it, because technology makes it possible to do so.”

This statement applies to both students’ a teachers’ work. The point of technology is to enhance learning, not take the place of working. Technology should be used to access more information and share ideas with others. Therefore, if students and teacher follow this simple statement and keep in mind the objective for using technology, then it can be kept at bay.

Lauren: Gow brings up many points in this article about educational technology I had never thought about before. First, he writes about the “utopia” of schools, where we feel we can control the outside world from entering the school. School is a safe place…but what happens when we use Internet in schools? Gow says we are opening our students up to opportunities to become distracted and put at risk online. He discusses the constant communication between teachers, parents, and students, and says posting grades online for parents to see is a disservice to students. He says this hinders the development of independence in students…but I disagree. School is supposed to be a communal effort, and when we exclude parents from what’s going on in the classroom, it builds a bridge.

Gow also discusses “The Flickering Teacher,” which suggests having to make “technology-based changes in practice can be a primary factor in driving teachers toward feelings of disorientation and inadequacy—and, ultimate, burnout. I can’t say I agree with this. Perhaps it’s true for the older generation who can’t keep up with technology, but for Gen X and Gen Y, what leads to burnout is the increasing standards enforced by school districts! Trust me…I’m living it.

Alex: This essay addresses what I think is one of the most important questions concerning technology in the field of education: does it help students think better? There are different answers to this question. Some experts say absolutely not, while others find some merit in it. The essay goes on to discuss the effects of technology on the actual work students do. It discusses the broken down barrier between school life and outside life. For a long time schools have worked to develop safe communities, closely supervised and managed to meet certain goals. The essay calls them little utopias, which is not too bad. We want to control our schools, make the community and atmosphere purposeful. The advent and implementation of the Internet has limited this ability. When students are at school we want them to be //at school//. It is nearly impossible to prevent connection with the world outside of the school. This is both good and bad. For example, the Internet opens students up to the threat of online predators, questionable content, incorrect information etc. It also, however, provides opportunities to meaningfully interact with things outside the school, access good information, communicate efficiently and encounter perspectives not seen before. Another thing the essay addresses is the idea of tasks and how technology has moved us toward more of them. Because of the ease with which things can be computed, work goes more quickly and we are able to do more tasks. Again, does doing more tasks help us think better? In my opinion no. I tend to agree, that because information is so readily available, computation is quick and we engage with so many tasks, our thinking has suffered. We collect surface level information, fail to exercise brain processes and think that we know a lot. We need not more, but more deeply.

Luke:

I think the thing to talk about here is the constant parent contact and surveillance. Just as our country loses its freedom for greater security more and more, parents trade independence for a watchful eye on the students. This is not healthy for most students, as part of our job as teachers is to train students to be independent citizens. Also, the text points out that this communication is not real dialogue, but that it is texted out. In an age where one bad rumor can cost a teacher his/her job, I sure do not want the main source of communication between parents and students to be the one with the least ability to tell tone. What if a kid is joking, but a parent takes it seriously?

** Prensky, Marc. Listen to the Natives. **

Deanna: This was my favorite article of the section because it did not look at technology so negatively. Instead, the author views technology as a teaching aide and a way to get students engaged in their learning. It is true that these students were born and have grown up in the digital world so they probably know a whole lot more than even we do about technology. Therefore, in order to engage the students and make them a part of their own learning, we should have them give us input and help us use meaningful technology to help them learn better. It should be a goal to know our students and to adjust our teaching to their needs and in order to accomplish this, we can ask students how they would best learn and what technology we could use to make things more meaningful for them. I liked the idea of having students work with other students of the same grade from another place around the world. I think that even just communicating with someone in a different school, from a different part of the country or world could help the students make meaningful connections and see things from other viewpoints. I think also that this communication could help the students grow as people and develop a deeper understanding of people in different places and different cultures.

Becca: I found this article to be the most realistic and applicable of the three articles. The fact is, technology remains such a big factor in the lives of our students. Therefore, to suggest getting rid of it in the classroom is impractical and ineffective. This article talks about using technology to engage students in cirriculum as well as giving students voice in classroom content and procedures. I think working with students can lead to a community where learners feel involved in classroom decisions. Although it is important for teachers to learn from students and gather ideas from them, many students remain limited in the technology knowledge. Shocking right? After talking with my CT about this, we came to the conclusion that yes students know how to text, aim, and facebook, but they don't have technological knowledge that helps them in the classroom. For example, in my classroom students just finished writing a compare and contrast essay. We asked them to type this paper using Times New Roman font double spaced. More than half of the students did not know how to formate the paper. In addition, when students went to send their paper to the teacher, many did not know how to send an attachment. Therefore while students might be considered "digital natives" they lack a great deal of knowledge about technology and it is our responsibility to teach this to them.

Lauren: Creating a classroom of“mini-mes” is every teacher’s dream…right? Unfortunately in today’s technological climate, creating students that are just like how we were at their age is a huge disservice. Prensky focuses on the changing needs of our students in the 21st century, and how teachers are falling behind by not incorporating necessary technology in the classroom. I did have a few problems with Prensky’s points, especially when he discussed the digital natives and immigrants. I am confused: who is he labeling as immigrants and natives? Would we, as members of Gen Y, be considered as natives or immigrants? I was born with technology, but we’ve been brought up more as the huge advances have been made. I feel like Prensky is pointing a finger at Gen X and Boomer teachers more than Gen Y. He says teachers need to “laugh at their own digital immigrant accents.” Instead of laughing, I suggest learning. I love his idea about bringing cutting edge professionals into the classroom to show students what they will need to learn to be a successful future employee. The problem, though, is that it’s much easier to do this for math and science. How do we do this as English teachers? This reminds me of the saber tooth article…I think we are holding too much on past curriculum and not helping students to become the thinkers we need for the 21st century.

Alex: This essay makes an interesting point. The next generation, the one coming after mine, is technologically raised. Their experiences of devices began at very young ages and the operation of these devices, for many kids, is second nature. The metaphor is fitting. Young people are technological natives, while my parents are technological immigrants. My dad just got an iPad. It sits there on the table and he reads the newspaper. I feel that my generation is somewhere in between. We are very comfortable and capable with technology, but we still know the ways of the analog world. My room is a good illustration of this. In it I have a bed, a desk, a bookshelf and a small table. On those pieces of furniture I have books, plants, a record player and my computer and iPod. The analog items outnumber the technological ones because, for me, they are more fulfilling. I tend to disagree with the point that this author makes—that if we do not allow technology to take on a bigger role students will stop listening, they will refuse to learn the old way because it’s no longer relevant. I am certainly not a curmudgeon when it comes to technology. I use is all the time, but I certainly don’t think that it improves thinking. It makes tasks easier, faster and more efficient. It makes information more readily available. It expands our exposure to things. But I doesn’t necessarily make us think more deeply. I agree with the author that it is important to speak the language of whomever you are trying to teacher. For many young people technology is part of that language, but it is certainly not the language itself.

Dustin: This article by Marc Prensky discusses how different students currently are as people in comparison to their teachers. He suggests that students are digital natives, meaning that they speak the language of technology, something we teachers can only speak with accents, which I found interesting. He suggested that because teachers use things that aren't part of the digital world, that they have accents. Personally though, I have trouble understanding how students can be entirely digital natives - it reminds me of a sci-fi movie or book where the robots are ruling the world. I think there will always be accents from the past on any person living in this digital era.