Blog Post #14

Create Blog Post Assignment, write instructions and then do it!

Blog Assignment: Describe your concerns with any of the technology you have learned in EDM310.

Instructions: Discuss, if any, concerns for the fast pace implementation of technology into the classroom.

"The Surrender of Culture to Technology"

Neil Postman, College Lecture Series (1:25:12)

My Interpretation: 

Education is changing and moving forward into the technology realm whether, we as educators, like it or not.  We must embrace this change, however, this does not mean we have to get lost “behind the screen”.  One of the first videos we watched this semester was a lecture given by Dr. Sugata Mitra.  Dr. Mitra introduced the proposal in which teachers have become obsolete in the presence of computer access.  Yes, a computer has endless opportunities for students to educate themselves.  However, I believe only an educator can teach a deeper understanding of that information generated from more knowledge and experiences that a child does not possess.  I am concerned teachers will find it easy to lead by using technology but in the process create a crutch that debilitates their teaching capabilities. We do not need educators using technology because it is easy, we need educators to use technology as a final tool to educate our students because it is beneficial to his or her complete understanding of a specific subject after an educator has relied on his or her own teaching abilities to TEACH the topic. 

Dr. Postman explains that, “the brain is to a technology as the mind is to a medium.” Technology doesn’t have to be inherently bad or good. Again, as I’ve stated in previous blog posts, I believe that technology can amplify an already good teacher but can also be thoughtless and useless to an already bad teacher. The barrage of information that today’s students receive can be shallow and without roots. This creates a student without the necessary depth to really understand a particular subject. It is the educator that needs to provide directive in how to gain roots and true understanding that a wikipedia or even iCurio search will not supply.

I was first introduced to blogging this semester in EDM310.  At first, I blindly jumped on board with this new technological tool.  However, about halfway through the semester, I started thinking is wondered whether this tool was as important as people have suggested?  Initially, my concern was of privacy.  I have heard several parents voicing their concerns in their children participating in a class blog. Additionally, I was concerned about allowing the public to have access to my thoughts, my family, and my interests. They are personal and I prefer them to be personal. Maybe if more people kept their personal thoughts to themselves…there would be less “cyber-bullying” and “pedophilic cyber-stalking”. Social medias allow for a kind of boldness that was less prevalent when relationships and conversations relied on a face-to-face conversation. This argues against the benefits of social medias in the classroom as a learning tool. Additionally, I am unclear as to an appropriate age in which kids really benefit from blogging.  I understand it is “cool” that someone from the other side of the world read your blog but is that the end of their learning. If so, then I believe I may rely on a different technique to integrate “cool” into my classroom and generate a greater learning tool.  Interpersonal face-to-face relationships have equal capacity to generate a “cool” factor. How many people recall meeting their idol? How many can remember every word said by that individual? Why wouldn’t I attempt to capture this experience rather than a child’s favorite cartoon?

Cons of Technology Integration in the Classroom