How is technology changing our education today?
After reading Michael Wesch's article, it is clear that education as we know it is changing. With technology growing, and being more and more relevant in society, it is hard to escape what it is doing for our education system. We must use it for the best, and somehow change our system to incorporate technology, instead of turning a blind eye to it. As Wesch states, many students do not use technology in the classroom for educational purposes, but instead cruise around Facebook, aim, text message or use their iPod. In his video created by facts brought up by his students, Wesch shows that many students spend more time using technology for pointless purposes, than they do actually contributing to their education. This is something that we have to change in our society. We need to incorporate education and technology, as this class does, to contribute to the growing prevalence of technology in our society. Maybe by incorporating technology, and things that we, as students like, it will help the lack of love for school. By allowing students to learn in the ways which they would appreciate more, they would not only love to learn, they would love school also. In addition, if students desired to attend school in the first place then they would greater appreciate the privilege they have of receiving a higher education. In reality, I do not think it would be so hard for schools to incorporate technology into the classroom more, and in actuality many teachers are beginning to do this. The video by Michal Wesch and his students really opens up our eyes to see where the problem lies in our education system today, and how it truly needs to be mended.
"Nearly 75% of tomorrow's jobs will require use of computers"
A vision of students today: Michael Wesch
Henry Jenkins- Ideas on Education & Technology
A quick video to demonstrate some of the differences between the past & present in technology
The Dumbest Generation?
“And yet, while material goods and worldly attitudes keep trickling down the age ladder, knowledge and skill measures haven’t kept pace. No generation has experienced so many techno-enhancements and produced so little intellectual progress.”
The above statement by Mark Bauerlein is a small sized statement with huge implications. Bauerlein, the author of The Dumbest Generation, How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes our Future, presents statistics that show generation Y, today’s students are increasingly scoring lower on standardized tests and lack the basic knowledge “responsible citizens” should know. Bauerlein points a finger at technology as the blame for today’s generation not learning and being “The Dumbest Generation.” Stating that today’s youths have access to more information and culture than ever before are failing to learn at higher levels and are in fact performing at lower levels compared to generations of the past. The article “Turned On, Plugged In, Online & Dumb: Student Failure Despite the Techno Revolution,” presented in a Britannica blog, blames today’s technology for making the present generation dumb. Bauerlein’s harsh comments point a finger but do not address the problem. In fact, what is the problem? Is it computers and technology or is it teachers that fail to keep up with today’s changing society. Bauerlein’s solution seems to be to take technology out of the classroom and go back to old methods of teaching which today’s students find exceptionally boring. Perhaps Bauerlein should be investigating ways to incorporate technology into the classroom in ways to engage students rather than students resorting to their own technology, like an ipod, to drown out a boring teacher.
Video with students and Mark Bauerlein
www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml
Youtube video of Mark Bauerlein talking about "The Dumbest Generation"
Another youtube video with Mark Bauerlein
Stupid in America: How we cheat our kids
Here is a 20/20 news report comparing students in America versus other countries. This video helps to demonstrate the public school system and how it is failing us.
Articles on Technology in Education
magazine articles on technology in education
click the articles link on this site
google articles
Here is a video highlighting what the technology in our world is about:
What does this technology do to you?
This is a video clip that I found that demonstrates technology is important to Americans. If technology wasn't important this ad would have no valid ground. Meaning that if Americans found not using a computer is normal, it wouldn't be a shock to know that John McCain has never sent an e-mail.
Here is an article that discusses the 'Digital Divide' among different generations of Americans, yet how technology is also becoming more widespread among the varying age populations.
This is a link to the online education that SUNY offers: http://sln.suny.edu/index.html
It is now possible to completely obtain a degree just by going to classes through the internet. This site offers a great way for people to explore that options, especially for students who want to experience more online classes through SUNY.
This is a clip for SUNY Canton's online program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56odbkky1Qo
Comments (1)
Jess said
at 9:20 am on Oct 31, 2008
I completely agree with Wesch's article but its makes me think, is that not why I wanted to take this class? What this class is about is how our educational system is changing to digital and how we need to keep up with it. Maybe this class should not be an optional class but should be required to keep students away from abusing new technology in class and using it to better their own knowledge. Writing in the Digital Age forces us to use the internet for things that we might not have experienced; it gives us a chance to try things out and see if they are helpful to our learning process or a waste of our time. New technology is a good tool if it's used correctly.
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