Technology and Renewal

Technology is making it possible to do things in the classroom that just a few years ago we could not even have dreamed about. This means that the "best practices" discussed in your reading can now be approached in ways not feasible when the article was written. In the lessons that follow, we will be looking at difference ways of promoting learning in the classroom by making use of the Internet

It seems to be a fact of human existence that new technologies are first used to do old things more efficiently. For example, the first use of electricity was to produce light, and not to run a computer. In fact, the development of the computer had to await the discovery of electricity. The existence of a machine such as a computer would have been hard to even envisage in the days when electricity was first harnessed to produce light. Predictably the first classroom uses of computers were to do old things better, such as writing (word processors) and rote learning (math drill programs). New uses come with new ways of thinking about education and technology. "If schools continue to emphasize the accumulation of information, continue to employ didactic instruction, and continue to view students as empty vessels that need filling, then students have no need for the rich information resources on the Internet." (Soloway, 1995). It is only now that we are beginning to envisage new ways of learning that could not have existed before the advent of the computer. As you continue with this course, you are invited to keep asking yourself about the feasibility of doing things that you could not even have imagined a few years ago. But remember, the key factor is to have a vision of what teaching and learning should look like in your classroom. Technology may help you get there, but it may not. If it does, use it. If not don't use computers just for the sake of using them.

Technology makes it possible for students to learn in new and exciting ways. The Washington State Technology Plan for k-12 Schools captures the spirit of this statement in its "Seven Essential Learnings for Technology."

1. The student as information navigator.
The student recognizes and values the breadth of information sources, browses those sources, differentiates and selectively chooses sources, and retrieves appropriate information/data using all forms of media, technology and telecommunications.

2. The student as critical thinker and analyzer using technology.
The student reviews data from a variety of sources, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating data to transform it into useful information and knowledge to solve problems.

3. The student as creator of knowledge using technology, media and telecommunications.
The student constructs new meaning and knowledge by combining and synthesizing different types of information through technology, telecommunications and computer modeling/simulations.

4. The student as effective communicator through a variety of appropriate technologies/media.
The student creates, produces and presents ideas, stories and unique representations of thoughts through a variety of media by analyzing the task before him/her, the technologies available, and appropriately selecting and using the most effective tool(s)/media for the purpose and audience.

5. The student as a discriminating selector of appropriate technology for specific purposes.
The student discriminates among a variety of technologies and media to extend and expand his/her capabilities.

6. The student as technician.
The student develops sufficient technical skills to successfully install, setup and use the technology and telecommunications tools in his/her daily life, work situations and learning environments.

7. The student as a responsible citizen, worker, learner, community member and family member in a technological age.
The student understands the ethical, cultural, environmental and societal implications of technology and telecommuications, and develops a sense of stewardship and individual responsibility regarding his/her use of technology, media and telecommunications networks, respecting historical context and enhancing cultural lineage with integrity and concern for truth.