Reflection Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology Chapter 3

I think that the chapter of the skeptics made some very good points. I thought that the first part of the chapter showing all of the quotes of different educators from the past making comments on new technologies was particularly powerful. I think it illustrated the point well that there are always going to be people that want to resist change particularly in the regards to technology. Everyone seems to hold on to the way they do things and don’t want to let go or feel threatened by change. I can see this as a major problem for implementing new technologies in the classroom particularly in regards to getting teachers and administrators on board. One thing that I came into the chapter knowing, but was reinforced by reading was that one of the difficulties with implementing use of computers in the classroom is cost and therefore availability. I can see how it could be a problem trying to use computers heavily with limited availability to students. I really hadn’t thought about it previously how much extra time of instruction is wasted simply by having to move students from the classroom to the computer lab for when computers would be needed. Additionally I think the issue of cost is paramount. I can see how difficult it may be, now particularly with limited funding, to lower the ratio of students to computers. The way schools were described as just in case learning and technology as just in time learning was a really good descriptor. I think it may be really hard though for schools to switch over to a more just in time learning approach, and I really think that to be completely that way may be flat out bad. I think that a common knowledge base is important for people to have in order to be able to relate things to each other. I think if a total just in time learning approach were used it may be hard to explain from person to person. However, I can see the value in the just in time learning that technology fosters. With so much knowledge at everyone’s finger tips you need to be able to know how to find information, quickly and efficiently.

I think what I will do in the future as a teacher after reading this is to keep up with the idea of embracing new technologies and not fight it as some of the educators described in the reading. The other thing I will try to do is help find alternative ways for my school to obtain technology items. I have heard from other professors that there are tons of grants that can be applied for that can help to get things like Smart Boards and laptops into your school without having to worry about additional tax burden on your local community. Another thing I hope to do is try to work to show students effective ways of using technologies to obtain information, and work more like a guide for them without feeling miffed that my place in the process of learning may have change.