Technophobia Serves the Status Quo
By Nancy Salvato (06/25/07)
Education is probably the most important element in a functioning democratic republic, one in which citizens' value and are responsible for the maintenance of their individual freedoms balanced against the needs of the society as a whole. To ensure that members of the communities which make up our great nation have equal access to learning, schools must provide the same tools and information across socio-economic groups. This is no easy feat. Regardless of how well an education is delivered, each child will bring a different set of challenges to the table and every student will not take away the same experience. Still, a reasonable goal is to present everyone the opportunity to learn and thus be in a position to care for themselves and be responsible citizens. Therefore, we must strive to deliver every student a high quality education.
It can be argued that, “Technology provides both mechanical advantages over manual approaches and enables learning experiences that would otherwise have been impossible or highly improbable.” (1) While many people already take advantage of technological innovations, others for myriad reasons have not taken the steps to learn how to use these tools properly or to incorporate them into their everyday lives. While it is not an expectation that the average person integrate technology into their world, teachers have a responsibility to learn how to use computers and other devices so as not to put their students at a disadvantage. Not only can information be accessed and processed at a faster rate, but “intangible benefits such as high levels of satisfaction and motivation, improved self-esteem, are often noted as outcomes of technological innovation in education.” (2)
On any given day, one can read about school districts trying to pass referenda to raise money for better facilities and higher pay for the teachers that work in them. Discussion centers on limited supplies, inadequate working conditions, or students lacking motivation. Another point should be addressed. Despite the positive effects produced by merging technology and teaching, “Technology has not been effectively integrated into the curriculum.” (3) There are a number of reasons attributed for the poor reception shown by education veterans.
▪ Dislike and fear of change. (4)
▪ 32% of all adults are intimidated by computers and afraid they might inflict damage when operating them. (5)
▪ 55% of all Americans remain resistant--even phobic--when it comes to taking advantage of technology in their everyday lives. (6)
▪ One-fourth of all adults never have used a computer, set a VCR to record a television show, or even programmed favorite stations on a car radio. (7)
Two people who are facing the same situation may interpret it differently, by acting according to their different beliefs and experiencing different outcomes. (8) Teachers, by fearing technology, may be unable or unwilling to overcome their prejudice against this mode of learning, a disservice to their students. “Although electronic technology has found many uses in schools, it has not yet changed education in systemic ways.” (9) Many, “teachers are inclined to use technology in a manner that supports existing practices rather than to inform or transform their teaching,” (10) More than ever, we need to rethink how we view education. Teachers must step outside their comfort zone and embrace the possibilities that only technology enabled education presents.
A paradigm shift is needed in education. According to Visions 2020: Transforming Education and Training Through Advanced Technologies,
▪ Next generation learning systems will allow learners to access live and recorded lectures from multiple sources.
▪ Performance-based assignments will allow learners and small groups to demonstrate levels of expertise in tasks where they are strongly motivated to succeed.
▪ Sets of powerful tools will be developed allowing instructional designers to go from concept to operational systems quickly. They will also permit continuous upgrades and improvements as problems are discovered and new concepts are proposed and tested.
▪ The roles bundled in the job of today’s teachers are likely to be “unbundled” (lecturer, tutor, counselor, subject-matter expert, administrator, disciplinarian, record keeper, evaluator, curriculum designer) with many tasks performed by experts or automated systems with specialized expertise.
▪ Demonstrations of expert teaching will be readily available over the high-speed internet, and the new information tools can let teachers see discussions on how other teachers have approached a subject or dealt with a difficult situation and facilitate dialogues with their colleagues as they struggle with similar issues.(11)
By embracing technology and scientifically based methods for teaching, colleges of education can become schools of transformation and help our nation’s teachers leave no child behind. It is well within reason to expect that in the near future, “Teachers and students might be thousands of miles apart, yet they will appear and sound to each other as if they are in the same classroom. Facilitated by unobtrusive picture and sound display devices, the infrastructure will give them a strong sense of presence, as if they are actually in the room together.” (12) Graduate education programs should be using technology to teach degree candidates models of learning and assessment to measure the progress of students and guide them through the learning and problem-solving process. (13) Today’s classroom teachers should be prepared to interact with content material and perform inquiry-driven collaborative investigations. (14)
No matter how intimidating, all teachers should be learning how to use technology in their teaching and learning, and be taught evidence-based methodologies to become more effective teachers -if we are to move our education into the 21st century. Educators are obligated to use proven methods of teaching and to provide our nations’ students access to the knowledge and skills essential to preparing them to take advantage of the most current technological innovations during the learning process. The alternative is leaving some children behind.
Footnotes:
(11) (12) (13) (14) VISIONS 2020: Transforming Education and Training Through Advanced Technologies (Next Generation Learning Systems And The Role Of Teachers)
http://www.visions2020.gov/reports/TechPolicy/2020Visions.pdf
(5) (6) (7) Fear of Technology: l990’s phobia
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_n2583_v122/ai_14672808
(4) Is There a Doctor in the House?
http://www.kathyschrock.net/doctor/doctor2001.pdf
(8) Self-Limiting Beliefs: The Inner Enemies of Progress
http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/articles/motivation/SelfLimitingBeliefs.htm
(1) (2) (9) The Costs of Educational Technology: A Framework for Assessing Change
http://sils.unc.edu/~march/costet/costet.html
(3) (10) The Influence of Technocentric Collaboration on Preservice Teachers' Attitudes About Technology’s Role in Powerful Learning and Teaching
Penny Garcia; Stephen Rose - Journal of Technology and Teacher Education; 2007; 15, 2; Wilson Education Abstracts
Copyright © Nancy Salvato 2007
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