I often ask bloggers to defend their ed tech ideas as a way of generating conversation about the topic. The ultimate goal being to raise the level of that conversation and to educate everyone involved.
Mike Muir of the University of Maine has contributed greatly to this by producing a wonderful research brief with great food for thought and an amazing set of links to follow.
You can access it here. Let me know what you think? Do you agree or disagree with his summary? Any reactions to the resources selected? What was left out?
Jim :-)
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3 comments:
I agree with the brief! ;-)
The problem with the brief is that it is brief. There are those that point out the negative side of education technology (Oppenheimer, Cuban, Healy, etc.) and believe it or not, I think they are right!
This is not a contradiction.
They point out the overuse of technology with very young children. They point out dismissing important content areas (such as the arts) in order to pay for jumping on the latest band wagon (technology). They point out technology sitting idle. They point out teachers who have not been trained in the appropriate use of technology. They point out that much of what teachers do with technology could be done easily without ("Sustaining" uses).
They are right about all of this. These are all situations in which the investment in technology has not been well spent.
But keep in mind that the brief makes clear that HOW the technology is used is a critical condition for the effective integration of technology.
Check out more information about "Disruptive" uses of technology here: http://mcmel-resources.wikispaces.com/+Level+of+Technology+Use
Mike
Thanks for your contribution Mike.
I hope we can get many more to weigh in also!
I am comforted by your posting because it reinforces my view that, in some ways, in order to be an advocate of educational technology you have to be open to confronting differing views.
Great stuff.
Jim :-)
Like any good teaching, technology in the classroom requires planning. I think the tendency is to think you can just "plant" the kids on the computer with a "program" and it will all be done. You have to think about what outcomes you are after, what assistance students will need to use it effectively, how you will monitor or assess what was being taught. If you aren't looking at those things, then your setting your kids, and your teaching up for failure.
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