When teaching technology - PLEASE teach technology!
January 3, 2008 by Rory
This current term for the kid in school now includes a “special” titled Technology (last term the special was Music). I asked if he meant ‘computers’ and he said quite emphatically, “No.” Okay then … it’s Technology.
The class just started before the Christmas break … And what has the class been doing?
Creating newsletters with Microsoft Publisher.
Thinking that this might be a prelude to something more, I asked what the teacher’s plans were for the class.
The gist is that this class will use pretty much only the applications found on the computers - limited to Powerpoint, Word and Publisher. So, the plans are to learn how to create presentations, write reports, and create newsletters.
What about using the web? - Nope
Learning about the issues of privacy with tech and the Internet? - Nope
Social networking? - Nope
This is not a class about technology! WTF?!??!?
Assuming that the other kids are very much like my own … these kids are online constantly (via My Space, or playing any number of online games like Runescape or World of Warcraft or Dungeon Runners).
They do not need to learn how to use a computer - that’s already a given! And they certainly do not need to learn how to use an application to create a digital version of an analog technology … use Publisher to create a newsletter which is then printed … are you kidding me?!?
My tax dollars hard at work …
Subscribe to Feedburner
RSS to PDF
RSS to Mobile
Hi Rory
I agree with your sentiments. Unfortunately, the situation you describe seems to be very much the norm - across the globe! Things are very very slow to change in formal education and I fear that many in the educational sector will be the last to embrace Web 2.0 if at all!!
PDonaghy
Hi Patricia - thanks for your comments. It’s good to know to some degree that I’m not the only one who’s frustrated by this.
We are not serving our children when ignoring the real need of technology literacy/usage/etc. in light of the world they’ll soon find themselves working and living in. One consolation is that the young folks tend to be faster to adapt to newer challenges … which they must do.
It’s a matter of systemic stupidity, really.
Rory,
Right on, here is the reason. Teachers are uninformed, uneducated, and uninitiated in using technology to enhance the learning of the students.
In working I find K-12 educators that are petrified of finding new solutions or projects for children. Faining that none exist and creation would take too long.
I’m not a K-12 teacher and I know where to look
Sadly, it is up to us as parents to help our children use the technology to enhance learning (which isn’t bad) all the while paying teachers to stifle learning and retard growth (which is bad).
Mike
Hi Mike - thanks for commenting. I really appreciate folks offering their thoughts.
I’m cautious in making a blanket statement that teachers are universally uninformed, uneducated and unmotivated. Much of the blame (if I may use that word) lies with an unenlightened administration who are more often concerned with issues of tenure and maintaining a certain status quo. They also are terribly concerned about the school’s achieving the necessary marks in the mandated state exams as part of the No Child Left Behind nonsense.
With limited resources as they are and such pressure for schools to perform to some unfunded mandate standards, tough decisions do need to be made. But I content that they are indeed the wrong decisions.
The children are, then, those that suffer.
I guess, too, that my big beef in all of this clamor is that there was a certain pretense that this class was learning about tech. It just wasn’t. So, don’t call it that.