OK, let's start with the disclaimer: I am an educational technologist (among other things). Part of what I do is design, develop and teach in on-line settings. I am also taking graduate coursework in educational technology. The idea that technology has a place in educational settings, to me, is a given.
However,
I have recently seen some acquaintances and colleagues decide that it is time to "jump on the bandwagon" without giving much thought to how they are going to arrive at where they supposedly want to go (nor does it really concern them). They just think that it's important to riding on this particular conveyance. There is a difference between using technology for the "wow, way cool dude" factor, and using technology becaurse it enhances the learner's ability to grasp the essential concepts being taught. not every technological capability is equally adequate in every situation, nor is it desirable. To my mind, this is true regardless of whether we are discussing in-class vs. virtual or a school vs. a corporate setting. In short, one technology does not fit all, and it is imperative to determine the desired end result and the best route to get there, rather than simply jumping into the back of the cart and hoping to eventually arrive at one's hoped for destination.
What do you think?
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Randy Meredith says it well when he emphasizes the importance of "making the technology invisible so the learning becomes the focus" rather than just throwing in technology here and there without first deeply analyzing if will enhance the learning or distract from learning. There are many cases where the neglect of such fore-thought has distracted and detracted from student learning and the blame has been placed on the technology used rather than on the instructional design implemented. The research supports time and again that the quality of instructional design always relies heavily on analyzation before development & implementation.
ReplyDeleteA similar principle is to ensure that technology serves the classroom/teacher/student, not vice-versa. As educators, we should always be asking whether the technology under consideration significantly aids in facilitating communication, or in clarifying an issue, or in strengthening a learning process.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I don't think the "cool factor" should be entirely dismissed, especially (but not only) when teaching the younger generation. I have found in my own experience that a spark of interest can be ignited through an unexpected or new use of technology. Bringing that spark into a flame, however, relies almost entirely on the design and skill of the instructor rather than on the technology.