Week One Discussion

Greg Mileski
EDT 5410
Dr. Horvitz
9/9/10

The two articles for this week really got me thinking about how I use technology in my classroom and the things that we are doing with technology in our school district. I teach in a lab filled with 31 computers everyday in the middle school. We try to teach the students the skills that we think they will need for the future, but are we really? This year our district has just finished installing Interactive White Boards (IWB) in all our K-12 buildings for core teachers (Math, ELA, Science, and History). I’m a little sad that I don’t get one because I am an elective teacher, but at least I still have my projector.

In Reigeluth’s article on page one he starts of saying that at first new technology is used to support prevailing methods and gradually people realize that technology can create methods that can result in quantum improvements in performance. I can at least see that the first half of his statement is true with the IWB’s in our district so far. The training that staff has received so far has many staff members saying that this technology is nothing more than a glorified overhead projector. I think they haven’t seen the big picture or had enough training. Once they use them more, I believe they can possible help with student performance. Anyone else have IWB’s in their schools?

I found myself identifying with table one markers that were identified between the Industrial Age and Information Age systems on page 9 of Reigeluth. I can totally see how our education system is inline with the industrial age makers. Is this Wrong? I don’t know, it’s worked this long. Our society has changed to the information age, is it time to change our educational system to be more inline with the Information age markers? Reigeluth goes on in his article to explain that we need to move towards a new paradigm of education that is learning focused and his table 2 on page 10 points out the principles of this paradigm.

This is interesting because my school district is also introducing a new pilot program within our freshman campus for 200 students called 21st Century Global Tech. This program is modeled after some existing high schools called “New Tech High.” I got to tour one of these high schools last spring in Indiana. These schools incorporate technology and many of the principles Reigeluth listed in table two such as authenticity, performance-based assessments, peer-assisted learning, self-directed learning, teacher as coach, and meaningful content. Classes in this program are linked cross curricular, such as Math with Science and ELA with History. Students work in collaboration groups and produce authentic pieces of work. Students each day login to a computer system that has links to assignments, resources and tasks to do for the day.(Similar to what we are currently doing in this class) Teachers meet with collaboration groups each day to discuss progress on assignments and may teach specific things in a lecture time called “roll ups”. It will be interesting to see how the program works. We are piloting the program for at least two years and next year we’ll have a 9th and 10th grade section of the program.

As for Postman’s article I found it somewhat refreshing. Yes it’s great to have all this technology, but is it truly solving our issues in education. I know I can’t keep up with all the latest and greatest technology. I see kids so wrapped up in technology that they can’t function without having it. Many students in my middle school can not write or type a grammar paper without using texting lingo in their paper (i.e. u for you, r for are, dat for that). Many cannot even carry on a conversation or function in a group setting with you because they’re so use to chatting on online or texting. All my students say that the first thing they do when they get home is get on facebook or twitter. What happen to the days, when you went outside and played or rode your bike?

Another Point by Postman was that look at the money the government has thrown into technology. Technology is costly and with the state of Michigan’s economy many school districts don’t have the funds to provide for new technologies. You have to really look at whether it is worth spending money for different technologies. I think before you spend the cash you need to answer the following questions: What is the problem you have? Will and How can technology solve that issue? Has anybody else had this problem and solved it with technology?

Great articles to get us thinking on the topic of what the role should be of technology in education. I still don’t have a concrete answer of what the role should be. It keeps changing as I read and experience things. Does anyone else feel this way?