Assignment 1- Readings and Reflections
Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation and Of Luddites, Learning, and Life
The first article I read Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation has a recurring theme “quantum improvement”. I do agree our current educational system needs “quantum improvements”. And I also agree, only through transformation will our educational system provide students with a “customized and diverse” education leading to improvements. The question becomes how do we bring about such a transformation?
The author mentions sorting students in this article and again I agree with his theory. Sorting does not work, as early as preschool there are great differences in learning behavior among students. Children have different backgrounds and learn at different speeds. The AR (accelerated reading) program that many school districts have adopted is a wonderful example of software that will keep track of individual student’s progress in reading. Each student can read at their own level and speed and the computer generated reports inform parents of their child’s progress and standing.
The quantum improvements the author is talking about makes sense to me if they can be implemented. The schools have to be willing to invest in professional development for teachers to learn about the information age (Table 1) and learn all about “technology transformation”. The learning institutions will also have to have a budget for buying technology. Learning this technology will allow teachers to individualize education and achieve the concepts of the learning-focused paradigm of education needed for this transformation to take place.
This article for me was much better than the Of Luddites, Learning and Life. I think since this article was written our school districts and higher learning institutions have been transforming toward this paradigm. I know Western Michigan University continues to upgrade their E-Learning courses and add additional programs that help to deliver more technology based instruction to our students. In just the last couple of years, “quantum improvements” have been made at WMU and we are well known for our IT department.
The Of Luddites, Learning and Life article was extreme to me. I disagree with Postman when he states that technologies are a distraction. Maybe some students spend too much time on Facebook, but that can also serve as a networking tool. Students have to have the discipline to be able to distinguish if they have the time for distractions or if they need to get some homework done.
About the only thing I can relate to in Postman’s article is when he talks about the principle functions of school is to teach children how to behave in groups. Children do need to know how to participate in a disciplined way, but it is not entirely the schools responsibility. Parents also have the responsibility to train their children at home to be socially responsible, to help them think critically and to act right! Information is not the cause of crime; it is not the cause of marriages breaking up either. I don’t agree at all with Neil Postman’s article when he states that information has become a form of garbage.
The Charles Reigeluth article was much more enjoyable for me to read than Postman’s. Postman appears to be out of date with reality and maybe angry with the technological advancements that have been implemented in schools in the last 20 years. Reigeluth is more forward thinking and positive about what can transform schools to make quantum improvements in the way we teach and learn.
Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation and Of Luddites, Learning, and Life
The first article I read Beyond Technology Integration: The Case for Technology Transformation has a recurring theme “quantum improvement”. I do agree our current educational system needs “quantum improvements”. And I also agree, only through transformation will our educational system provide students with a “customized and diverse” education leading to improvements. The question becomes how do we bring about such a transformation?
The author mentions sorting students in this article and again I agree with his theory. Sorting does not work, as early as preschool there are great differences in learning behavior among students. Children have different backgrounds and learn at different speeds. The AR (accelerated reading) program that many school districts have adopted is a wonderful example of software that will keep track of individual student’s progress in reading. Each student can read at their own level and speed and the computer generated reports inform parents of their child’s progress and standing.
The quantum improvements the author is talking about makes sense to me if they can be implemented. The schools have to be willing to invest in professional development for teachers to learn about the information age (Table 1) and learn all about “technology transformation”. The learning institutions will also have to have a budget for buying technology. Learning this technology will allow teachers to individualize education and achieve the concepts of the learning-focused paradigm of education needed for this transformation to take place.
This article for me was much better than the Of Luddites, Learning and Life. I think since this article was written our school districts and higher learning institutions have been transforming toward this paradigm. I know Western Michigan University continues to upgrade their E-Learning courses and add additional programs that help to deliver more technology based instruction to our students. In just the last couple of years, “quantum improvements” have been made at WMU and we are well known for our IT department.
The Of Luddites, Learning and Life article was extreme to me. I disagree with Postman when he states that technologies are a distraction. Maybe some students spend too much time on Facebook, but that can also serve as a networking tool. Students have to have the discipline to be able to distinguish if they have the time for distractions or if they need to get some homework done.
About the only thing I can relate to in Postman’s article is when he talks about the principle functions of school is to teach children how to behave in groups. Children do need to know how to participate in a disciplined way, but it is not entirely the schools responsibility. Parents also have the responsibility to train their children at home to be socially responsible, to help them think critically and to act right! Information is not the cause of crime; it is not the cause of marriages breaking up either. I don’t agree at all with Neil Postman’s article when he states that information has become a form of garbage.
The Charles Reigeluth article was much more enjoyable for me to read than Postman’s. Postman appears to be out of date with reality and maybe angry with the technological advancements that have been implemented in schools in the last 20 years. Reigeluth is more forward thinking and positive about what can transform schools to make quantum improvements in the way we teach and learn.
No comments:
Post a Comment