This article was a discussion between Jane M. Healy and Carol Tell. Jane has been an advocate and critic of technology for the past twenty years and her viewpoint on technology has changed. She first thought that students should be introduced to computers at the earliest age posiible. She now though, as seen with her grandchildren, view that the computer should not be introduced into children's lives till around age seven. She argues that computers should not be taking the roles of teachers which is where our society is shifting. Students also need that teacher/peer interaction to develope their social skills. Jane also argues that technology has a hard time teaching strategies or learning processes rather it is more of a tool. She states that "innovation will be the greastest benefit from these machines."
Jane makes a good point when referencing powerpoint. We should be wondering how much students are learning when they can put together, say, a powerpoint. Is it the technology tools we are intersted in or the actual content that the student is teaching or learned? What about computers doing more harm than good? I think Jane makes a great point saying they can be harmful to your health. I see our world as a growing people wanting everything the fast and easy way. Computers is one easy way to obtain that. Students are not required to talk to other peers and they also don't get to practice their facial expressions or skills that should be obtained for communication. I've learned in many of my educational classess to question what it is your doing and make the information relevant to the students. In that case I think it is a great idea to question what the computer can do that we can't and vice versa. Overall, technology can be a benefit to students but we need to be careful how we introduce it and make sure it does nothing but enhance our teaching skills as professionals.
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I like that you mentioned what Healy was saying about the powerpoint program and how teachers should question whether or not the students are learning content or just how to use the tool. I specifically remember learning how to use powerpoint in middle school. We got into groups to make a slide show. This slide show could be about anything we wanted. There were not any guide lines and it was completely open ended. My friends and I made the most random nonsense slide show that we thought was hallarious and had a great time creating. However, the only skills we picked up while doing this were skills related to using the program. There are many ways teachers can incorperate both the use of technology and subject area content. We just have to be a little creative at times.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading your aritcle the words that stuck out were "fast and easy". It got me thinking about how we are people are just looking for a quick fix and I think that is what our flaw might be in education. Learning is instant but building knowledge and becoming fluent takes time and well that cannnot be rushed. I think that the powerpoint example was a strong point for how technology might not be the best thing. I am glad we are relearning how to use powerpoint and are required to think outside of the box I think that will really help us at teachers later on.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. We need to be critical of the things we bring into our classroom and expose our students to. How scary is it to think that we have absolutely no idea how sitting our children in front of a computer game could effect them later on? I think this article just made me realize how important it is to really think hard about how we teach and the impact we are having because mindlessy getting by, looking for quick and easy fixes is not a good way to go about teaching....at all!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said. We do really need to think about if we are using technology for the right reasons. Just because it makes something fast and easy does not mean the student is learning more. This article was very thought provoking.
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