Week 2--What Is Educational Technology?

To me, educational technology is anything a teacher uses to supplement teaching. It can range from the very basic--such as paper and pen, a book, or the students themselves (I remember having to clap rhythms in beginning band classes.)--to the very advanced, such as a state of the art computer with Internet access and the latest and greatest software. I've always thought of technology (not just the educational variety, but technology in general) as a double-edged sword. If you know how to use it skillfully, it can be an invaluable addition to your classroom and your lessons. But if you don't know how to use it, you're likely to hinder your teaching by distracting your students.

It is absolutely mindblowing to think about how technology has evolved between us being students and educators. I thought the videos were very informative (and a little scary too!). It's one thing to know that millions upon millions of people use Google, visit MySpace, and send/receive text messages. It's quite another when you see the actual numbers. I was especially struck by the frames that talked about how many of today's common college majors didn't even exist 10 years ago and wondered what college students will study 10 years from now.

I've jokingly asked the question, "How did we survive before the Internet?" But it's not so funny when you really stop and think about it. The Internet and all the technology that's associated with it are now such an integral part of most people's lives that it's hard to remember how we got by "in the old days."

Are we on the right track? That's hard to say, and it goes back to my comment about educational technology being a double edged sword. So many school districts these days are rushing out to buy the latest and greatest technology for their classrooms, just so they can say that they have it. The philosophy seems to be "It's out there, and everyone else has it, so we need it too!" But there's little thought given to whether it's NEEDED or not, and how it will be used. Now that being said, I also am very much aware that students today are used to slick graphics, interactive games, and instant communication, and that without those things, it's very difficult to keep their attention for any length of time.

I really liked what Prensky's article had to say: "Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." That is so true! And if we want to keep our students in school and engage them while they're there, we'd better start evolving quickly. Otherwise, we'll be keeping company with the TI 99-4As. (BTW, I still have mine!)