Blog Post #1
The use of technology in the classroom is not a new concept. For almost one hundred years, educators have been looking for ways to integrate technology into the educational arena. Each new concept was going to revolutionize the educational process. As we have seen, every one fell short of expectations. This leads us to question; will today’s newest advances suffer the same fate? As I read the articles, I began to realize that for the first time, the outcome may be different. The technology is not significantly better that past advances. Imagine the excitement in the early 1900’s when film began to make its way into the classroom. Today it doesn’t seem very impressive but this was in a world without television. The reason success seems to be on the horizon is a direct result of learning from our failures.
In the past, each new technology was a groundbreaking achievement that would alter the educational process. This statement was easy to make because advancements were slow in coming. Today, advancements come very quickly. If we think of our own education, how much changed in the time from first grade until graduation? I remember getting VCR’s in grade school and in high school we had IBM 286 computers to learn computer programming. Aside from that, nothing much changed. Now let’s look at the graduating class of 2006. They started first grade in 1995. In that twelve year span, the computer to student ratio went from one computer to nine students (Anderson & Ronnkvist, 1999) to the current ratio in our district, one computer to every three students. Additional advancements such as Smartboards and digital visual presenters have found there way into classrooms in the last three years. Music classes use iPods and students can checkout an mp3 player with a book downloaded to memory. The library system itself has undergone major changes over the educational span of one graduating class. Does anyone remember a card catalog?
Most technology media only has a short lifespan today until it is replaced by something better. We can look at the computer itself. First we had the fifty pound desktop computer. Next, the fifteen pound notebook. Within a few years, the notebook became five pounds. Then, the Tablet PC came out allowing you to use your PC just like a paper bound notebook. If that wasn’t enough, the new Ultra Mobile PC’s are being released this month. They are six inch by nine inch fully functional Tablet PC’s. We no longer have time to redefine the educational process based on the media itself. By the time it is fully integrated, it is outdated. As a direct result, the goal of educational technology is not to control learning but provide the tools to make the learning process easier (AETC, 2004). No single advancement will ever be the one to change the educational process. The change will be the cumulative effect of multiple advancements and a change in expectations. This fundamental change may be the difference between the technologies of yesterday and educational technology today.
References:
Anderson, R. E. & Ronnkvist, A. (1999). The presence of computers in American schools: Teaching, learning and computing: 1998 national survey (Report #2). Irvine, CA:Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 430 548).
Association of Educational Communications and Technology. (2004, October).The Definition of Educational Technology: An analysis and explanation of theconcept. Chapter 1.
Reiser, R.A. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part 1: A history of Instructional Media. Educational Technology Research and Development, 49(1), 53-63
In the past, each new technology was a groundbreaking achievement that would alter the educational process. This statement was easy to make because advancements were slow in coming. Today, advancements come very quickly. If we think of our own education, how much changed in the time from first grade until graduation? I remember getting VCR’s in grade school and in high school we had IBM 286 computers to learn computer programming. Aside from that, nothing much changed. Now let’s look at the graduating class of 2006. They started first grade in 1995. In that twelve year span, the computer to student ratio went from one computer to nine students (Anderson & Ronnkvist, 1999) to the current ratio in our district, one computer to every three students. Additional advancements such as Smartboards and digital visual presenters have found there way into classrooms in the last three years. Music classes use iPods and students can checkout an mp3 player with a book downloaded to memory. The library system itself has undergone major changes over the educational span of one graduating class. Does anyone remember a card catalog?
Most technology media only has a short lifespan today until it is replaced by something better. We can look at the computer itself. First we had the fifty pound desktop computer. Next, the fifteen pound notebook. Within a few years, the notebook became five pounds. Then, the Tablet PC came out allowing you to use your PC just like a paper bound notebook. If that wasn’t enough, the new Ultra Mobile PC’s are being released this month. They are six inch by nine inch fully functional Tablet PC’s. We no longer have time to redefine the educational process based on the media itself. By the time it is fully integrated, it is outdated. As a direct result, the goal of educational technology is not to control learning but provide the tools to make the learning process easier (AETC, 2004). No single advancement will ever be the one to change the educational process. The change will be the cumulative effect of multiple advancements and a change in expectations. This fundamental change may be the difference between the technologies of yesterday and educational technology today.
References:
Anderson, R. E. & Ronnkvist, A. (1999). The presence of computers in American schools: Teaching, learning and computing: 1998 national survey (Report #2). Irvine, CA:Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 430 548).
Association of Educational Communications and Technology. (2004, October).The Definition of Educational Technology: An analysis and explanation of theconcept. Chapter 1.
Reiser, R.A. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part 1: A history of Instructional Media. Educational Technology Research and Development, 49(1), 53-63
posted by mcavallaro at 2:53 PM
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