Inherent Problems with Technology

[Wendi N Wallace]

Use more technology, "they" say. Who are "they" anyway? Isn't technology supposed to be a tool that allows work to be completed faster? Isn't it supposed to be more convenient? Oh, in many ways I agree...but there are so many other reasons that scream "put on the breaks!" Our children are learning more and more information that is not only coming at them too fast for fair processing, but there is no restraint on what they get to see, hear, or experience. Are we creating a scenario of children who are expecting everything to be served? Where does the creation fit in? In the same way children are being compromised, the older generations are being left behind. How many of us already make the decision to forgo learning something new because we cannot see how it will fit into our already crowded lives?
I'm not completely for or against technology. I just feel there are grave concerns being overlooked.

[Kevin J. Galbraith]

Inherent problems? Certainly... I don't think that our educational system is perfect, nor has it ever been or will ever be. But I don't think that we can move forward without technology playing a more important role in education than it has in the past.

There are, of course, well known myths and realities about technology in K-12 schools, that "they" and we know about. I recently read an article that I found encouraging. One of my long-time feelings about the lack of (to use a work I learned from Bruce Umpstead) "traction", is due to the lack of technical depth in our school and district leadership. Once you read the short piece, I think you'll see what I mean. However, I think it's not only a top-down problem! I know too many teachers who feel that they don't need to be involved either, because that's what the "computer teacher" or "Technology Integration Specialist" or who ever... does.

Wendi, I'm glad to see that you are here @ MACUL Space and that you're asking these "hard" questions. Let keep talking about them because without the conversation, nothing will change.

[Wendi N Wallace]

Kevin thank you for your encouraging reply. I am a Technology Literacy teacher and seem to be one of the go-to people for technology help. What everyone doesn't know is that being the "Computer" teacher does mean that I know a good deal about technology, but I have no clue in certain areas. I will never try to have the answer to things I don't know, but this integration of technology so fast does put me in that situation so often. I feel like the pickle in the middel so to speak. I agree with you in that there are plenty of teachers who will continue as is without the use of technology and will begrudgingly does the bare minimum as required by the district. Thanks again for helping me out with this intense and broad question about technological problems. :-)

[Brenda McCloskey]

You raise a great point. I agree, many teachers aren't comfortable integrating technology. I also think that with mounting curriculum requirements those teachers who are comfortable integrating technology can only do so to the extent the students arrive in their class with a reasonable amount of technology skills. Sure, students are great at facebook, IM, ebay, etc., but what worries me is that they don't have the word processing and spreadsheet skills they should have. The students I've had in the past few years seldom, if ever, use spell check, don't know how to set headers/footers and can't begin to set-up or use a spreadsheet. Yikes!

Our district doesn't require students take any computer classes in HS, because they're following the state's position that technology is incorporated in other coursework. Supposedly they're learning this in MS. If they are, then apparently we're not integrating those tech skills enough to retain them; if they're not, then we ned to require a class at the HS. Either way, we're doing them a grave disservice when it comes to preparation for the real world.

[Wendi N Wallace]

I completely agree with your argument as well. It seems that as teachers, we are not even given a chance to keep up with technology as fast as it is becoming available to our students. Consequently, as you pointed out, the skills we encourage the students to work on are cast to the way side when they return home to their previosly learned behaviors. It really is a slap in our faces as we attempt to un-teach these misguided ways when all the kids do is balk at our reasoning. This only promotes the issue that without practice these skills are not retained and or rejected to begin with. There have been classes at the HS level for computer classes to teach the basics, but with more and more students coming into these classes with the know-how, the class becomes pointless. The state is also aiding this bad situation in that computer literacy requirements have dropped down to the eigth grade level. Only one online course is required in high school now. The problem then becomes what we are now reeling from and that is lack of money. Without the financial support, we can't do much. What does every district do in response? Cut teachers and add to class sizes. Of course this becomes a contractual issue in every sense, and teachers get the bad rap. It is a vicious cycle.

[Carole Colburn]

Brenda...

Hi. I am Carole Colburn, a colleague of Wendi's at HWMS. I also teach grades 6-7-8 Technology Literacy. In fact, a few years ago at HPS, I initiated a course name change as the class was originally called "Computer Literacy." I felt that the course name reflected only a mere portion of the curriculum I covered and that it is not enough to be "computer literate" as technology represents a much broader spectrum.

Wendi and I each get students for nine weeks (a whopping 45 days) and the class is not required, so some students may take it in 6th grade and not ever have it again, or they may not have us at all and then show up in our 8th grade class. It is a mixed bag, so to speak and therefore, we must be ready to handle all levels of tech literacy...as well as being prepared to differentiate instruction to meet the intellectual needs of all learners.

That being said, I agree that students may not really be as "technologically literate" as we hope for by the end of their 8th grade year. We can expose students to data processing and spreadsheets and the Internet and databases, and digital imaging and scanners and Smart Boards, and email and concept maps and digital video and digital editing and drawing programs and…well…any other technology you can think of. In fact, I cover all of the above mentioned topics (as well as Moodle and blogging and wiki’s and web 2.0, and Internet safety, etc.) and well…there is no way I can teach them everything they need to know about all of those things so that by the time they come to you, they not only have learned the skill, but they have mastered it. Technology is a moving target. I would love to have students for a whole semester or to have this class be required (all three years of middle school) but I suspect that neither of those things will happen any time soon…so, we just keep doing the best we can. :-)

[Brenda McCloskey]

Carole,

Do you know if your HS requires a computer class? Your program sounds similar to what my children have at Novi MS, except there students are required to take 1 class and the 2nd is optional. Novi HS also requires at least 1 computer class. It sounds like you do a great job of exposing your students to a wide variety of technology. With the limited amount of time we have with students and the rapidly growing world of technology, it is increasingly difficult to give them everything they need. Like you said, we just keep doing the best we can.