Smart thinking about educational technology
Pedagogy, Reflections April 10th, 2008I wanted to share with you an excellent commentary published in Education Week (April 2, 2008) by Andrew A. Zucker, author of Transforming Schools with Technology: How Smart Use of Digital Tools Helps Achieve Six Key Educational Goals.
The article, entitled Smart Thinking About Educational Technology, argues that educators need to stop thinking simplistically about educational technologies and begin thinking about how to use these digital tools well. Too much time is spent arguing whether or not educational technology improves student achievement, rather than focusing on how it can help us reach key educational goals.
Zucker proposes using a widely-accepted framework of six key educational goals to help concentrate our focus and meet multiple aims. These educational goals are not technology specific – they meet wider educational objectives. However, upon inspection, one can easily see how educational technology can be employed to help achieve these goals.
As I have always argued, educational technology is not an all-or-nothing notion. Productive pedagogy must always be the main focus. The use of educational technology can enhance learning in significant ways only when it is backed by sound pedagogy and wider educational goals.
April 17th, 2008 at 9:09 am
I agree that good teaching starts with good planning, and that technology should be incorporated within that planning if appropriate. (1) the teacher needs to get comfortable with the technologies to be used as well as supported and (2) it just has to work……that is, the infrastructure needs to be rock solid. Without the comfort, the support and reliable infrastructure, the brick wall gets thrown up pretty fast, and then the teacher tends to head to the foxhole to figure out “Plan B.” Now, let’s start with increasing the comfort level and fill in that foxhole ! penobscotriver.edublogs.org
April 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I agree with you… in order for a teacher to fully implement technology in the classroom he/she must feel confident in their own personal technology skills. I would love to have my tech support person at school provide trainings on a more frequent basis then once a year.