Eras of Education Lost and Gained

This week’s reading from Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, it was interesting to read about the transformation of the education system from the people (families) to the institutional system of government sponsored schools. Although parts of other chapters and moments of our discussion have touched upon this transformation, the reading of this chapter hammered home the point.

For me personally, I feel the transformation to the public school system is the most beneficial overall for our nation, its people, and when the time comes, our world. When we cooperate together and pool our resources to provide equal education for our children, we honor the equality our nation was based upon and create a living example of equality in action. In my opinion, the current system does not create equality. Although there are larger issues at play, the utilization of property taxes as the main source of income for schools does nothing but maintain the status quo and increase differences between rich and poor. (I apologize for the rant.)

The influences which encouraged the development of the institution of education are unfairly attributed to conservative forces within the government which were attempting to homogenize the population. The government is a reflection of the demands and needs of the people it represents. There were admittedly conservative elements which desired to indoctrinate the immigrant population (according to the authors), but the same immigrant population undoubtedly realized the opportunity and benefits of education which existed in our nation. I believe the institution of education was and is essential to promote human equity.

As I attempted to verbally express in class last week (and failed epically to do), the movement which the authors argue for in which the responsibility of education is shifting back to families from the government, is, in my opinion, wrong. Although I agree with some of the benefits of this shift such as increased interaction with influential family members, engaging with material due to these interactions, and the rights individual people and families have within our nation, I whole heartedly believe that whatever the future holds for education, especially in terms of incorporating technology, in needs to be done through a system (institution) which ensures human equity.

I also have a bit of a bone to pick with the idea of teaching to learn. I agree it is becoming increasingly difficult and impossible to teach “all the knowledge they might need as adults” (pg 95). However, I believe in the benefits of learning certain required information such as the history of our nation and world, the political functioning of our nation and world, and other essential knowledge. To not learn these things will, in my opinion, erode individual participation in the government and other social interactions. This does not consider the potential negative implications of technology to do the same.

The authors recognize this and other concerns when they ask, “…what will happen to learners who are unwilling or unable to take advantage of the technologies that drive the life-long learning environment” (pg 104)?

Vouchers

I also feel motivated to address my personal opinion about school vouchers. Due to my personal understanding of the cultural and institutional nature of religious beliefs and their impact upon society, especially through private and home schooling, I disagree with religion being indoctrinated alongside and within what should be secular education. I would like to make it clear I whole-heartedly support religious diversity and acceptance, but disagree with government support, in nearly anyway shape or form, of private education. In my opinion, a voucher system is wrong.

I realize this is controversial, but it is what I believe.

As a future educator, I believe it is important to be aware of the shortcomings of the larger education system(s) and strive to not be a part of the problem. I believe I can improve the education provided by public means by incorporating technology and family involvement in each students' experience. For me, this means developing as open and clear communications as possible with students and their parents/guardians. Furthermore, I will strive to incorporate parents/guardians into students' learning by developing projects which encourage and require interactions with parents/guardians and other elders.

The future of education should be one of interaction and cooperation between the institution as it exists now and the larger surrounding communities. The authors write, "...the explosion of learning content out of the control of constraning institutions allows learners to customize learning experiences in terms of personal, rather than institutional, values and beliefs" (pg 96). I support finding a balance between individual interests and the collective need for institutional requirements.  For me, the institution of education must find ways to adapt and incorporate community involvement and resources for education.

Interactive White Board Lesson (State, Nation, World)

In designing my IWB lesson, I invested roughly 8hrs of thought and development over the course of several weeks.  I thought about what type of lesson I could utilize to meet a WDPI standard while at the same time I would be able to adapt to a wide range of grade levels. I believe this will always be one my goals as a teacher. I put much thought into the words I used, interactive elements present in the lesson, repetitive nature of material, and of in-class management.

As an educator, this lesson has helped me to recognize a practical implementation of technology within the classroom. Although I have not conducted an actual lesson with IWB and the material I have prepared, I feel confident in its overall effectiveness. Furthermore, although the lesson is found in what is shared on the screen, as a teacher, I feel it is incredibly important to always ask questions outside of what is directly asked.

This lesson has also helped me prepare for my responsibilities as an educator by challenging me to anticipate situations which may challenge the desired outcome. By putting thought into situations and imagining myself presenting material, I gain confidence. Also, by practicing in my mind I am able to know what points to make and how to address and monitor the effectiveness of my lesson. For instance, if I expect in my mind a certain level of student involvement and engagement with the lesson, it allows the reflection process to be potentially easier because I will monitor and recall factors from during the presentation which are related to my expectations.

The History and Future of School

In completing this week's assigned reading, it was interesting to discover the interpretation which was presented about the history the United States' educational system. The description of the influences which have led to the development of the institution of education as we know it today is very interesting to think about and ponder. The transition of the responsibility for education from the family to the institution and government is VERY interesting to think about, especially when contemplating motives of behavior and interactions between parents/guardians and educators.

It was very interesting to consider the "dormant" period in which mass education has dominated while the apprenticeship style lost favor. The authors argue that aprenticeship or style of it is likely to redevelop due to the quantities of information and skills necessary as well as the percieved role technology is described in having as it reshapes education and learning.

The section discussing the evolution of the school system was also very interesting to read because it put into a new perspective the purpose behind many of the characteristics of our current educational system (pgs 60-62). This section included disucssions of compulsory attendance, graded schools, tests, textbooks, carnegie units, and comprehensive high schools. The authors write, "The system that eveolved has proven very effective in educating a highly diverse population," but society has changed and become diverse beyond the capicity of the current instution to effectively address.

Fundamentally the authors point towards these changes as being related to an increase in life span, decreased birth rate, and increasing diversity of the population. The first two points are the most interesting to consider because they hint at reduced tax revenue with which to fund schools and decreased tax payer interest in spending on education. The reduced interest is further reduced by increased demands related to health care and retirement. And, the increased diversity of the population correlated to increased student population suggests the need for more specialized and intensive education practices, which means increased spending.

The future of education suggested in the reading is interesting to consider. The authors suggest certificate training may become the trend of the future as people consciously decide which certificiates to pursue. This personal choice seems to be influenced by personal interest with consideration of economic opportunities. Before making this arguement the authors discuss homeschooling and its benefits, workplace learning, distance learning, etc.

The second chapter dealing with future of education and school was very interesting to contemplate. I especially appreciated the some of the authors' words, "These technological developments raise concerns about equity, social behavior, and the cultural cohesion of society...we argue that it is important for sciety to begin thinking more broadly about how to deal with these new developments in order toa ddress teh issues and problems they reaise for teaching and learning" (pg 90).

As a future educator and as I have stated repeatedly throughout this semester, I believe it is incredibly important to consider and attempt to anticipate what the effects of our long-term utilization of techonology will be. And, as Professor Boyer has repeatedly stated, technology must be utilized responsibily. To me, this means responsible use means it must be used, it should be carefully utilized to elicit desired outcomes. For me, this means engagement of material within individual students minds and not just reading and quickly processing or copying and pasting.

It is important for us to constantly challenge and engage our students, and in my opinion, it is essential our future children are able to remember, understand, explaing, and interpret information from within thier own minds. In developing these skills and abilities, technology holds a great deal of potential for assisting the processes involveed, but in the end, technology should be a tool of enhancement versus realied upon necessity.

Furthermore, schools and educators must make every effort possible to responsibly incorporate technology into students' environments. This will ensure schools are able to compete and keep pace with the rest of world, and in correlation with effective teachers, its students' will do so as well. I also believe the nature of school will likely change over time to the point where potentially the physcially setting is removed.

No matter what though, I believe the experience of education must be as equal and fair as possible to ensure the principles of political equality and justice which I believe in. Although the authors' suggest responsibilty for education shifted from partents to the government generations ago, I argue the responsibility has never shifted. I say this because I believe the government is us; it is comprised and influenced by parents. Therefore, the responsibility has always been in the hands of the people because "we the people" are the government.

Enthus and Skepti (Chapters 2 and 3)

Enthusiast

After reading both chapters and contemplating the role of technology in education, my personal opinion about technology’s role is definitely one of a positive perception. I agree with many of the points posited by enthusiasts. Technology allows for incredible access to a vast amount of information. I believe education is important in a multitude of ways beyond the specific content which is taught. The institutions of education provide for a real-world physical setting in which interactions may be guided and structured towards a desired end. The unparalleled access available through technology is the most incredible quantity ever possible thus far in human history. In the future, it is apparent this information will continue to grow and diversify. Because of this, not only is technology likely to become a key tool in education, but it is essential educators model for students responsible utilization of the resources available.

Another benefit of technology within the educational process is the ability it provides for individuals to connect with and engage material and topics. This personalization of the content and current events makes learning inherent in the process of being engaged. Furthermore, technology allows individuals to express their ideas about topics and to receive feedback from other individuals, potentially the world over. This level of feedback is nearly instantaneous and holds the potential for potential positive change upon a scale nearly unimaginable.

In my mind, access to technology equals access to information which is the key to future education. As discussed, at the same time technology allows for individuals to personalize and focus their educational outcomes, the connectedness created through technology allows for a more balanced and distributed outcomes overall. In essence, I believe technology has the potential to eliminate differences between borders and across oceans. In sharing ideas, communication differences, and attempting to understand, we will slowly develop larger coherent and connected ideas and perspectives. So although perspectives will diversify, they will also become connected and understood through communication. However, the potential technology has is only as beneficial and positive as we make it to be.  In the end, our actions and methods of utilization will determine the outcome. For instance, if we are unprofessional, insulting, close-minded, and refuse to consider the people’s ideas around us (respect), then I believe the benefits of technology will be for naught.  In my opinion, individual learning and understanding of information must first be based upon the perspectives of higher social behaviors taught as a part of the educational process.

Skeptic

Although I believe technology will have a huge impact upon the education process, I still recognize and ponder a few detriments which sober my enthusiasm.  I will attempt to make this next section as short and sweet as possible in order YOU may more effective form your own ideas and hopefully respond. I think it is important to keep in mind the idea of utilizing technology responsibly. If educators emphasize the correct aspects, reinforce positive behavior, and model them consistently, my personal skepticism will be reduced. Sadly though, I fear the thoughtfulness of my fellow human beings who are live today and the impact of their inconsiderate actions upon the future.

First and foremost, I am concerned about access to technology and the vast quantities of information and opportunity which it unlocks. In our society and the world in general, technology is more of a commodity and luxury than an inherent resource. Because of this, I am concerned for the long term availability and distribution not only of technology itself but also of knowledge.

Another long-term concern of mine is related to the idea expressed in Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, which states, “Technology undermines the need to know things yourself, as long as you know how to find the information and help you are seeking” (pg. 46). This statement is one which honestly elicits a great deal of fear. In what ways would future lives change? Human self-reliance, individual and group, would be eroded and resiliency could be weakened.

Conclusion

After reading these chapters and contemplating technology, I recognize both the positive and potential negative impacts upon current and future societies. For example, right or wrong, harmful or not, the behavior of human beings walking around the earth with their faces down staring at and interacting with a screen while navigating is / does / and WILL have long-term impacts. I guarantee it.

What human interactions and experiences are missed?What human interactions and experiences are altered?What happens to real-world social interactions?What happens to our interaction with the world in which we live?What happens …?

The cultural creations of human beings interact with and influence the biological manifestations of ourselves, and thus these biological manifestations impact our interactions with the world and our cultural creations.  In essence, everything we do matters because it has an impact upon us and our world.

Some might say I’m over thinking this, but I would rather do so than not think about it all.

American Revolution History Challenge (iRLO)

content area needs. With practice, I see Scratch as a potentially engaging interactive tool which can be utilized for assessment.

Upon completing and submitting my rough draft for iRLO we developed utilizing Scratch, I discovered a great sense of accomplishment and anticipation of the future. It was a great feeling to have finished something which seemed sooo difficult and honestly, impossible. I remember thinking, “There is no way I’m going to figure this out…(insert expletive here)!!” However, I did finish, and it feels great. Furthermore, I feel confident about the changes and modifications I desire to make because I know if I am patient and put forth the proper effort, I will succeed. In contemplating the amount of time I invested in this project, I would say a conservative estimation is 10-12 hours. After considering the amount of time I invested yesterday (the day before the due date) and factoring in loss of time due to the frustration nap and eating binges, I am happy with my level of accomplishment and look forward to making the program I created, better.

The experience of creating this rough iRLO was very positive and influential in my thinking as an educator. In piecing it together, I had invested much effort into searching the internet for advice, resources, and ideas. Furthermore, I downloaded multiple, already created iRLO to observe their functioning and program structure. From all of these sources, I developed my own idea. As an educator, this process is exactly what future students will be asked to do as they navigate the digital world and attempt to gain an accurate understanding of the real world around them.

The route I went with my iRLO was as a quiz of sorts, which challenges students to identify the correct answer. The questions are related the American Revolution. In writing the questions, I thought of high expectations. The wording and answer to questions will challenge students to read carefully and think about their answer. In thinking about my questions, I feel I need to restructure them and pose questions in other ways to further evoke engaging thought.

The program I have created, once fine tuned and developed into a finished product, can and should be utilized to challenge students’ thoughts and ideas about a variety of historical questions. The program can be adapted to meet the needs of other lessons within history and even other

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology

In the opening pages of the book Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, I was amazed by the similarities and stark differences of the authors' words, my personal thoughts, and the discussions which have been occurred in class (or at least the mention of thought provoking ideas). The importance of technology, which cannot be denied, is hopefully evident to everyone. It is here to stay.

However, the implications of this are not so clear. The impact of technology on the education system(s) of the United States and world are interesting to consdier. How will these structures change? I believe the public school system MUST be maintained as an institution and format for preparing our future generations for societal membership, national and global citizenship, and including digital citizenship. Who knows, maybe one day people will be discussing Universal membership. Creepy kinda...blows my mind.

One of the most striking statemenst from the reading was...

 "The public is demanding higher standards from K-12 schools with policies that limit the variety of learning opportunities. And communities are less willing to raise taxes for schools, bcause a smaller proportion of households have children of school age. Children raised on new media technologies are less patient with filling out worksheets and listening to lectures..."

 Although this passage states points which I had previously considered and thought about, their inclusion together made me hesitate to continue reading until I fully appreciated each sentence. There are a lot of "big ideas" and practical lessons to be learned from this reading (anticipated).  The ideas discussed are incredible to consider and ponder. What will happen? Who will decide? Also, who will have access to future resources and information.

Another interesting point made in opening pages described how technology has changed the function and responsibility of various jobs. "The work has changed from hands-on to inferenctial, or from concrete to abstract." This is also very important to think about. As technology has simplified (on the surface) and streamlined the functioning of world, our world has changed, and so too have the physical actions, mental capacities and demands of everyday life. The authors and others have likened these developments to a Technology / Information / Knowledge Revolution, and have focused most discussion on the positives of these experiences. I prefer to focus ont the word knowledge. I feel the developments related to technology are more importantly attributed to some type of "Knowledge" Revolution; however, in the long run, is this knowledge based upon individual memory and recall developed through engagement of a variety of learning resources and exercises, or is it more the availability of information for individuals to utilize as deemed necessary and relevant? Maybe both? It is important to think big picture and long term in order we attempt to perceive the potential detriments of such development and strive to lesson thier impact.

In closing, I believe technology is useful, beneficial, and necessary. However, I also believe it has the potential to create a world (in the future) which is not the one intended. We have a responsibility to "improve" this world. I realize the subjective nature of the word improve, but I believe the point is clearly stated by the authors when they write, "Our fear is that social cohesion and equity inherent in the promise of public schooling will be undermined by this second revolution" (Technology / Information / Knowledge).