Video Response 1: A different way to think about technology in education by Greg Toppo
Greg Toppo, in his (2012) TED Talk entitled “Rethinking Technology in Education” defines technology beyond its traditional interpretation of simply using electronic devices in the classroom (2:35). Specifically, he describes it as the use of knowledge,machines, and tools to carry out processes. Using this definition, we can shift our view of using technology in our classrooms to viewing it as tools designed to help us meet our goals rather than complicating our jobs. For example, books are just as much of a technology as a computer (2012, 2:12). How important are books to us as teachers? Do they become less important or more difficult, when text is made available in a digital format with narration and animation? The key is realizing that technology is designed to help us.
Toppo also references a quote by Kevin Kelly and describes technology as something “that turned man into super man” (2012, 4:30). This quote made me question, why do we create things? Any technology is created to serve a purpose or meet a need. Realizing this can help teachers see that opening our minds to new tools is only beneficial to us and our students. The reality is that with advancements in technology being developed at a rapid rate, the way we understand our world is always changing. When I was in grade school and even in high school, I never had a SMART board in any of my classes. This new instructional tool was something I was exposed to when I entered college. I would imagine that teachers who had been in the field for years had trouble implementing such technologies into their classroom because it required them to learn a new set of language and technology skills to support its use. This is something that many educators are afraid to do.
Toppo’s talk made me consider the following question: What purpose does education serve and how do we decide what needs to be taught? Without getting too deep into the actual content that we teach, the obvious answer to this question should be to adequately ensure that our students are prepared to thrive in their careers and make meaningful contributions to an ever-evolving society. Can implementing new tools that we are not experts in seem frustrating at times? Yes. However, in an effort to provide students with the skills that they need to continue to build on what today’s engineers, businessmen, designers, innovators, and working professionals are developing, teachers must accept educational technology as tools designed to help them in these efforts.
In his talk, Toppo references technologies such as the pen, radio, movie, television, computers and how they revolutionized the society we live in today. Think about it. What would the world as we know it today be like had these technologies not been invented? My major take away from this talk is that despite any initial reservations, teachers should be more receptive to newly emerging educational technologies in the classroom. Instead of being consumed by the thought that if you’re not tech savy, you can’t use such tools in the classroom, teachers should instead broaden their understanding of what technology really is and make an effort to use it in their classrooms.
Video Response 2: The Role of Technology in Education by Andrew Essex
In his TED talk, “The Role of Technology in Education”, speaker Andrew Essex discusses the significant impact that technology has on education and how creating greater access can make effective changes in high needs schools. While the onset of his talk focuses on accepting the fact that technology such as apps, software, and online programs can in fact support educational growth, his main argument centers on this idea of a digital divide. Specifically, since technology is an ever-evolving field, it can be difficult for all to have access to its most current forms. Hence, the proliferation of technology has worked to widen achievement gaps. Essex mentions several eye-opening statistics that correlate achievement gaps in low-resourced schools to higher incarceration rates, lower wages, and significant differences in proficiency levels amongst students (2010, 6:45). So the question becomes, how different would schools be if they all had the same access to technology. To answer this question, understanding the doors that technology opens is essential. While it can be difficult to find one solid solution to address these issues, it is clear that working to increase the access that students have to technology can work to close this achievement gap . Roland Fryer, a behavioral economist looking for a solution to this gap, partnered with the New York City Department of Education to implement “The Million”. The Million is a free, incentive based program that works to reward kids based on improvement in grades, participation and attendance. Students are rewarded with minutes for talk time, data for app and music downloads, and The philosophy behind this technology movement was to “connect with kids the same way they connect with each other” (2010, 12:34). The results of the Million reveal that more than 75% of students either worked harder in school, increased their interactions with teachers, or participated in school in a more competitive manner (2010, 14:13). However, the Million was just one pilot program. Moving forward, teachers are faced with the responsibility of using technology as a tool to facilitate learning. The reality is that not all schools will have the same resources available for teachers and students. Harnessing the resources that are available and integrating them to improve student motivation and relatedness to content works to make learning more meaningful. Essex, for example, discusses the stigma associated with cell phone use in the classroom. He notes that many public schools in New York City actually ban such usage as a means of minimizing in class distractions and even gang activity. Essex encourages educators to reconsider their view of such devices and instead alter their perspective to see that cell phones actually provide access to educational tech resources such as application, programs, and software. Specifically, he uses the term, super computers to refer to cell phones in order to highlight the array of uses it offers for the integration of technology to support learning. Overall, Essex paints a very realistic picture of the role that technology plays in education. While all may not have the same access, making an effort to utilize the resources that are available is one step further in supporting education with technology.
Video Response 3: Building Bolder Schools: It doesn't Hurt to be First by Steve Dembo
Steve Dembo in his (2012) TED talk entitled “Building Bolder Schools: It doesn’t hurt to be first” works to encourage educators to overcome their perceived fears about the risk of technology and shift their perspective to understand the power of connectivity and collaboration that technology provides us. He explains that the power in using a communication tool such as twitter is being able to connect with other people (2012, 4:13).
Dembo also discusses the importance gaining a following and connecting with other individuals who have similar interests. When attempting to build an audience, you have to have an element of marketing. As he mentions, being able to market yourself is a critical skill in the 21st century. With competition to get into schools, programs, and acquire a job at an all time high, it is important for individuals to distinguish themselves from their peers. In my own teaching, I am currently working with students to develop a digital portfolio via google sites. In doing so, I encourage students to showcase their strengths and interests. As Dembo puts it, “being great is just no longer good enough” (2012, 4:48). Students may have several great ideas, but they need to take an active role in sharing those ideas. Building an online presence is a great way to do this. This is also important at the educator and administrative level because showcasing interests and strengths and connecting with others is a great way to receive professional development. It can allow teachers to connect with others who have similar questions and provides a support system where educators can share stories and gain authentic feedback.
The reality is that many teachers have perceived fears of using technology to connect with others. In a sense, it’s as if you are letting other people into your own world and placing yourself in a position to be criticized. This is a common feeling amongst educators. To overcome this, I think the key is realizing that as educators, we are always learning and by connecting with others, we can only benefit.
Dembo goes on to explain that the inventor of Terrafugia, a flying car, suggests that all technologies go through a series of 3 phases (2012, 11:40) .When they are first introduced they are ridiculed and mocked, in the second phase, they are violently opposed, and in the third phase, they become self-evident. Technologies that are now a commonplace such as social media platforms went through these same phases. Although they are now socially accepted and widely used, many people had initial reservations. One technology that Dembo mentions that specifically stood out to me was the transition of traditional paper textbooks to digital textbooks (2012, 13:20).. When these first became available to teachers and students, many questioned its purpose. Even me, as a paper based learner who prefers to write things down had initial reservations. However, I have learned to appreciate and actually prefer digital texts. The ability to search through an entire book and obtain the information you need in the matter of seconds is a feature I find most useful. The takeaway that educators should gain from this talk is that technology is created to serve a purpose. While it may take time for educators and students to learn their uses and functionalities, technology is designed to help people connect, collaborate and make full use of resources. Hence, it is our responsibility as educators to provide students with an open-minded perspective towards technology so that they can find value in building skills that they will need in their personal and professional experiences. When more schools can adopt this open-minded and willing approach towards technology, schools will make better uses of their resources.
Video Response 4: Using the Past to Explore How to Make Students Future Ready by Kenneth Shelton
Kenneth Shelton, in his (2014) Ted Talk entitled “Using the Past to Explore How to Make Students Future Ready” discusses how educators can create learning environments that provide students with an education that authentically prepares them for what lies ahead in an ever-evolving society. Shelton commences his talk with a series of thought-provoking questions. He questions the thought process behind making choices that revolve around one’s own education. For example, he questions if factors such as career ambition and personal goals influence such choices (2014, 0:58). He then presents the idea that jobs are continuously evolving. With advances in technologies, needs change over time, Hence, just as new jobs are created, other jobs no longer serve a purpose. The question then becomes: what is the purpose of school? In my opinion, this is a question that isn’t asked enough. Targeting the goals and desired outcomes of our students’ education can help educators create curriculum that enables students to achieve such goals. This type of thinking is very similar to author Grant Wiggins’ concept of backwards design. But how does this relate to making students future ready?
In his definition of “future ready”, Shelton places an emphasis on building a mindset that embodies the qualities of an explorer, engineer, and entrepreneur (2014, 5:01). The debate between helping our students embody a mindset verses a skill set argues that there is no way to ensure that the skills that we teach will be applicable or useful to our students when attempting to meet the demands of the professional world. Teaching a skill set would simply rely on assumptions about the future workforce and with the rapid and ever-evolving nature of today’s jobs, As described by Shelton, “a mindset transcends time and generations” (2014, 3:40). Helping our students build a mindset that encourages a thirst for knowledge, experimentation, risk taking, accepting failure, and applying multiple perspectives has a value that is applicable to all aspects of life. Such mindsets are timeless and are useful across content areas and career fields.
I fully stand by this stance because there is no way that teachers can fully predict what students will face in the future. We all want our students to thrive and make meaningful contributions to the societies in which they live in. Hence, the most effective way to do so is to encourage students to ask questions, take calculated risks, and explore. Once accepting this stance, the next question becomes, what tools can we use to create learning environments that foster such a mindset? An easy answer here is technology! From online communities, to social media, to 3-D printers to apps and extensions, there teachers have immense resources that can help them provide future ready learning environments. Overall, if all teachers make an effort to encourage future ready thinking on a local level, it will gradually have a global impact.