What is the best Technology?

2/24/11

Is old technology bad technology? Is no technology better than bad technology? Is there such as thing as no technology? I raise these questions and ask you to look through and contemplate these thoughts and questions not only through a general educator’s lens, but also through a special educator’s lens.

I’ve heard that certain private schools in the area are obtaining iPads for kindergarten students to practice writing their ABC’s with their fingers. I have seen certain Science teachers pass an iPad out to students in the middle of class, to have them look up the answer to a question, to share it with the rest of the class, while the teacher continues teaching the lesson and fielding other responses. I have seen an interactive Periodic Table of Elements app and had the pleasure of watching some students practice math flash cards on their iPod touches. What is the best technology?

I have also been in classrooms that do not have a smartboard and have to share an overhead projector between two rooms. These teachers still use different colored chalk and invite students to come up to the board at the same time, rather than individually, as more than one student can write on a chalk board at the same time, but this is impossible with a smartboard. Which is the better technology?

I raise these questions because I think they are important questions for any teacher to contemplate. Unfortunately, if a math teacher loves his chalk boards or white boards, it may not always be up to him if he or she gets to keep these boards. The district may make the decision to put up a promethean board or a smartboard, simply due to a state grant, where if they don’t use the money, they lose it. As humans, we naturally adjust to change. Teachers make necessary adjustments to change, but is one form of teacher necessarily “better” than another?

Technology can be an excellent support to keep students with disabilities learning at the same pace as the rest of the class. Technology that is new is usually fun and generally keeps student attention longer, as students enjoy learning, especially if it involves learning a form of technology that is developed to be user-friendly and interactive.

If chalk boards are considered old technology, is this considered bad technology? Has a chalk board ever broken down before? How about a smart board or overhead? What was there before chalk boards? Will future generations someday ask “what was there before smartboards?” As if technology eventually becomes so old and obsolete that people forget about it? Is it that technology ever truly becomes obsolete or is it that it is human nature and the consumer spirit in America that is constantly looking for the next best thing?

I consider myself an intermediate computer user and I use a fairly respectable Windows PC laptop, which runs fast on Vista. HOWEVER, one of my friend’s from high school (we graduated in 2002), still uses the same desktop computer he had, operating on Linux. Now, I do not know much about computers other than over time they begin running more slowly. My friend told me the reason people always need new computers is because websites and programs are becoming ever-more needy of memory usage and “fat” with “stuff”. Eventually, Windows and Apple computers need to be replaced because they don’t “keep it simple” like Linux. Does this make an older computer operating on Linux software any less effective than a brand new PC or Mac?

There is no easy answer to the many questions I presented, but as with any blog post, there is always room for comment! Feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions on the subject!

New Teachers and Implementing Technology

I believe it is important for teachers to implement technology in their classroom, regardless if they are new to the profession or seasoned veterans.  When technology is used appropriately, it can transform good lessons into great lessons, extend student focus, and glamorize various aspects of lessons.  However, I have been student teaching for several weeks and have access to a laptop cart in the afternoon.  Unfortunately, I find it is seldom I take advantage of this resource.  Why?

In the beginning of my placement I thought I would make daily use of the laptops.  Unfortunately, I found precious time is wasted when students get their computers, log on, and then again when they have to log off and return their laptops to the laptop cart.  One of the reasons it takes students so long to return the computers to their rightful spots in the cart is because the charging wires are not securely fastened inside the cart, forcing students to take extra time and find the correct charging cord for their laptop.

The total time wasted is roughly 20 minutes.  In addition to the 20 minutes, many student computers randomly lose Internet connection and sometimes have to be re-started.

I still believe computers can be excellent extensions of the teacher, aiding in student learning, which makes it that much more frustrating when minor problems arise during use.  However, unless students are working on a multi-class lesson, I would question if the use of laptops are worth the time required to use them.

I have subbed in classes where laptops are used on a daily basis and that teacher avoided the setup time by having students grab a computer as they trickled into the room.  Waiting until everyone is in the room and calling groups of students to go up and grab their laptops seemed to extend time necessary to get a computer.

I am still improving the writing and implementation of lessons and classroom management.  I use technology in every lesson, as I use a smartboard, but I admit I could make better use of the classroom laptops.  I am still trying to develop productive lessons, where students learn an extensive amount, in the time provided.  My goal is to incorporate laptops, but I am discovering it is more difficult than I originally believed, as I need to find the websites ahead of time and I don’t want my cooperating teacher to think I am using technology as the easy way out, not teaching students and having them get their information directly from online sources.  Are there any simple lesson plans or ideas that people may have to incorporate laptops into lessons, without replacing the teacher?

On a side note, if you do have several websites for students to explore, how do you guarantee they all read the same information and how do you test this?  Is the only way to create a “scavenger hunt” worksheet, telling students they must go through the various sites and find the facts necessary to answer the questions?  How can students be given the opportunity to show what they have learned, in an organized fashion, where the teacher can still assess learning, without having students do large projects?  Is homework enough of an after-lesson assessment?

The main point I am trying to make is new teachers have a lot on their plate.  I am sure the average new teacher knows more about technology than the average veteran teacher, however it may be just as difficult for new teachers to implement technology into lessons as veteran teachers.  The sheer quantity of extra questions and lack of experience that new teachers have to contend with may be enough to keep them from taking full advantage of their technological skill.  At least, initially.  I plan to use more technology in future lessons, but I want to get more comfortable with discovering how my students learn best.

In addition to the many questions listed above, can technology aid individuals in a classroom, such as students with disabilities, or will it serve to be an additional distraction?  I personally believe, if used properly and in under the right circumstances, technology is always a positive.  But, there may be those who disagree.