Thinking Through The Technology Puzzle

David Bowman writes in Thinking Through the Technology Puzzle, that the current backlash against technology in the classroom is “…our own fault. We've been focused on the technologies, not on effective teaching.” He continues in saying that all too often teachers use technology as a reward for getting “real work” done. This is not how it should be done. Mr. Bowman even goes on to give suggestions on how technology might be integrated into various context areas in a way that would facilitate deeper understanding.

I fully agree with Mr. Bowman. In the classrooms that I have worked in, time spent using computers could easily have been spent otherwise. One classroom focused on the internet solely as a way to glean information for research projects. This kind of activity is boring, monotonous, and doesn’t fully take advantage of the kind of things that technology is capable of.

Bowman, David. (October 2004) Thinking Through The Technology Puzzle. The Educational Technology Journal. Last accessed June 10, 2008 from http://fno.org/oct04/integrating.html

The Great Debate: Effectiveness of Technology in Education

In the article The Great Debate, author Patricia Deubel does just that. She brings up points of debate in using technology in the classroom and in the world at large. Toping the list are things like the ambiguity of terms used when discussing education and technology. Next she brings up the fact that necessarily technology changes thinking; quicker access to more information that must be processed faster. She states that for technology to have any chance of being effective its use must be regular and integral to the program. That is, it should not seem extraneous to what is being learned.

I understand what Deubel is doing; she concedes that there are two sides to the argument on technology use in schools and tries to clarify just where the points of dissention are while still trying to sway the reader for the use of technology. To be sure of this one only has to read the sentence “We know that using technology in any form will not necessarily improve education, but its informed implementation moves us closer to eliminating the "one-size-fits al’ approach to teaching and learning.” Deubel wants us to use technology in an informed manner. Wouldn’t it be better then for those who do not prefer to be informed of technological advances and implementations in the classroom to not teach with it? As we try to eliminate the “one-size-fits all” teaching method, isn’t it also important that there may not be a “one-size-fits all” approach to teaching?

Deubel, Patricia. (November 2007) The Great Debate: Effectiveness of Technology in Education. The Journal. Last accessed June 9, 2008 from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21544

This article by Marc Prensky investigates the uses, benefits, and obstacles to using simulations in the classroom. He begins by citing just how useful simulations can be in a classroom setting. That the can help studetns explore different outcomes and can be a way for them to gain real world experiences that would not have otherwise been available to them. The question that he then brings up is “Why aren’t more teachers using simulations?” There are a lot of variables. Funding, time, and assessment practices to mention a few. Marc even goes as far as to suggest some ways in wich we as teachers can “bust through the barriers.”

Forgive me Marc but if some of our obstacles are the assesment driven atmosphere of todays schools and a lack of funding for computers and free software…I just don’t think that not using simulations is our biggest hurdle. I do agree that it can be very useful though. There are programs that help students create 3-D molecules that show bond types, there are dissection simulations, and there are numerous physics trajectory simulations. These are all fun to use and extreamly useful for students. But what about those students who go to a school that doesn’t provide enough computers? Simulations are useful but I think that we have some bigger fish to fry first.

Prensky, Marc. (March 2007) Simulation Nation: The Promise of Virtual Learning Activities. Edutopia. Last accessed June 8, 2008 from http://www.edutopia.org/simulation-nation

Laptops for All: Using Technology to Go Beyond Traditional Curriculum

In this article a new york middle school had widely implemented the use of laptops in the classroom. The point was to showcase technology and fit it into the curriculum, not fit the curriculum into something that could be done with technology. As a result Mott Hall students focus on project based interdiciplinary research. Student work is graded with the use of a rubric. The rubric model ensures that student work meets standards but also that students are gaining insight into the topic of study.

I love the idea of project based learning. The idea that students might be able to integrate multiple subjects into one project, and that the project might actually be interesting and engaging for them is exciting. The excitement is somewhat dampened by what I have seen in local classrooms though. Students do the same type of research for every project and are bored. So bored that they blatantly check gaming sites, facebook and myspace, and grades for other classes. This is a poor implementation of technology. I hope that teachers can begin to implement technology in the way that Mott Hall is able but so far, I have seen only a feeble attempt at integrating laptops into the classroom.

Furger, Roberta. (November 1, 2001) Laptops for All: Using Technology to Go Beyond Traditional Curriculum. Edutopia. Last accessed June 8, 2008 from http://www.edutopia.org/laptops-all

A School That's Too High on Gizmos

In the article by Patrick Welsh, an Alexandria high school is highlighted as having a bad case of techno-lust. After moving into a brand new $98 million dollar building outfitted with LCD projectors and laptops for every student, teacher moral and enthusiasm is at its lowest ever. What was supposed to make teaching easier has taken away from actual teaching and refocused attention on the technology itself.

I thought that this was a very interesting article. I find that quite often, professors get caught up in the technology that they are trying to use and that student laptops actually promote student disengagement. A teacher should be able to teach without technology, technology should aid and benefit students when it is used, not become the main focus.


Welsh, Patrick. (February 10, 2008) A School That’s Too High on Gizmos. The
Washington Post. Last accessed May 13, 2008 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2008/02/08/AR2008020803271.html

The Role of Gender in the Design of Electronic Learning Environments for Children

This article focused on the roles of gender in technology. It notes that most of the games available to children feature violence, war, and competition; games that appeal most to boys. Only recently have gaming companies begun to develop games aimed purely at the female market. Unfortunately many of these games stereotype girls and are based on fashion and dating. Studies show that women and girls see technology as a way to further communication and interactions. Men and boys seem to see technology as a way to transcend space and time and seem to be drawn to the technological items themselves. In light of these studies, some groups are working on creating games that facilitate discussions and provide interactive learning environments.

The gaming divide is vast. Most of the games that are not intended for educational purposes are quite obviously marketed to a male audience. Very few current games do not focus on war, competition, or conquering or vanquishing opponents. The games that are marketed to females tend to have educational motives, which is great, but not always entertaining. I think that even in light of the work that has been done to create interactive games for girls; there is still a lot of work to be done.

Bennett, Dorothy and Brunner, Cornelia. (August 1, 2000) The Role of Gender in the Design of Electronic Learning Environments for Children. TechLEARNING. Last accessed May 13, 2008 from http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/bennett.php

Assistive Technology: Enhanced Learning for All

In this article Lisa Wahl talks about success stories of assistive technology in the classroom. In addition she lists many of the applications and peripherals that can be used by students with special physical or educational needs. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), passed in 1997, states that districts must provide assistive technology to those students who qualify. These assistive devices run the gamut from talking calculators, adjustable computer monitors and keyboards, to various reading devices.

While I think that the implementation of assistive technologies in the classroom is valuable for all learners and is important in the creation of an equitable classroom, I wonder how much some of these devices cost school districts. In urban schools where the textbooks are so outdated that they are more detrimental than useful, and actual building structures are poorly maintained, how can we expect IDEA to be upheld? If districts must fund assistive technologies on their own, I think we can expect that very few schools will actually be able to provide these technologies to their classes.

Wahl, Lisa, (n.d.) Assistive Technology: Enhanced Learning for All. Edutopia, Last accessed May 13, 2008 from http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enhances-learning-all

Using Wiki in Education

This article expounds the benefits of using wiki in the classroom. A hybrid of a website and a Word document; it has the readability and ease of editing that a Word document had but great flexibility and collaborative capabilities as a website. Many teachers are using wiki’s capabilities for creating simple websites, projects with peer review, group authoring, data collection and presentations.

I like the idea of using wiki’s in a classroom. Considering the hectic and varied schedules of students, I feel that it would be great as a forum for group projects and collaborations. It would give group members flexibility of time and space.

Pearce, Jason. (April 4, 2008) Using Wiki in Education. The Science of Spectroscopy. Last Accessed May 13, 2008 from http://www.scienceofspectroscopy.info/edit/index.phptitle=Using_wiki_in_education