It has been quite awhile since I have written a post. I think I might be in a state of depression as a result of my addiction to television News shows and the recent development of an affliction that I refer to as “screen screaming”. Getting beyond the political turn of events of recent history, I also find myself frustrated and depressed over the slow pace of change in education that we have witnessed since the turn of the century. Why is it that so much of what education thought-leaders have been advocating for, in order to dramatically change the education system for the better, has yet to take root in any significant way? Many of the practices that have been identified as stymieing the system are still common practice in too many school systems today.
The big question that educators often ponder seems to be: In this age of technology and innovation does technology improve student learning? Of course that is a big question with research supporting both sides of the argument. I think however that there are other questions, which must be answered in order to gauge the effects of technology our education system.
My first question is: What has technology affected in the everyday lives of educators and support staff that improves their conditions? I tend to use my own experience and observations in addressing this since I began teaching in the early 70’s, before any real significant influence of technology on education, calculators not withstanding. Tech has certainly improved and simplified the ability to record data over the years, freeing up time for teachers. Of course that free time might be lost if teachers are loaded up with new additional stuff to record on students. Tech has given educators an ability to increase their connections with other educators through social media and collaborative applications to exchange ideas and share sources. Certainly this collaboration could be a positive influence and a great source of professional development if promoted and supported by an innovative and creative administration. It is impossible to get “out-of-the-box” teaching and learning when teachers are restrained by “in-the-box” management.
Technology has changed the dynamic of curating information for teachers and students. It gives access to information never before so readily available, or so easily curated. Technology also enables users the ability to publish acquired information in various formats for consumption by others. Additionally, it offers a means in many cases to analyze data in ways that could not be done so easily before technology had become so ubiquitous.
Communication has been upended by technology. There are many ways for people to communicate. We have gone way beyond the dial up telephone. Not only can we communicate with voice, but we can also transmit documents, files, videos, audio files, and live streaming. Gutenberg and Bell would most certainly be impressed.
Access to all of these wonders of technology requires a different mindset than that of the early 20th century. It requires the ability to be flexible and adapt to the constant changes that come with technology. It requires one to commit to being a lifelong learner. It also requires a strict adherence to critical thinking in order to recognize, that which offers value from that which is crap.
Now let us consider what teachers need to survive and thrive in their world today in order to be relevant to their students in what they must teach and the methods they use in the time that they have to deal with their students. Technology affords them time-saving methods to deal with the required bureaucratic minutia. It also offers the ability to maintain relevance in the tech-driven, fast-paced, changing environment of information exchange. Access to information at anytime is also a tech-added benefit for teachers. 24/7 communication access can also benefit educators accessing their administrators, collegial sources, students, or parents.
Now let us consider what students will need to know in order for them to survive and thrive in the technology-driven world that they will occupy, as opposed to the world that their educators grew up in. We want kids to be able to communicate, collaborate, curate, critically think, and most importantly create while using Reading, Riting, and Rithmetic.
All of this is now happening and will continue to happen in a world that is technology driven. We do not get any say in how much technology will continue to change and drive change. We can only prepare for the inevitable change by developing a generation of flexible life long learners who can assess and adapt to new information.
If my observations are even somewhat accurate, why is our education system so slow in developing methodologies that are supportive of teachers learning and using technology with their students? Why aren’t educators learning along with their students the very things they were not exposed to as they grew and learned? Why are we not concentrating more on student-centered learning, as opposed to Teacher-driven teaching? Why are we not focusing more on collaborative learning as opposed to lecture and direct instruction? Why aren’t districts more in tune with supporting collaborative learning for their teachers in obtaining relevant professional development to teach kids for their own future?
Well, now that I sat down to write something on education, I find myself again screen screaming, but this time it has nothing to do with partisan politics. I guess the idea of comfort zones, traditions, and closed mindedness are just as frustrating when we recognize where we should be going, but only a few are willing to take a chance on innovation. Maybe politics and education have more in common than I thought. Just because you have always done it one way doesn’t mean it must continue that way. When the world around you changes, pay attention. If we are going to better educate our kids, we must first better educate their educators.
Hi Tom, you are right that the opportunity for teachers to learn is just not part of the structure yet. How can teachers be expected to use these technologies without the confidence of having had time to learn how and why these tools will add something to their teaching. As a librarian working alongside teachers one of our roles is to support teachers using these new technologies. We have more time to learn and can then share our knowledge and support teachers in the classroom. These collaborations are working well in up skilling teachers but not all teachers have access to school librarians or understand that this is what we can do.
Amen. Thank you for sharing your voice once again. I completely understand being consumed by the state of our nation though. I was just thinking about how politicians used to talk about education. Although the DeVos debacle was center-stage for awhile, no one who really understands school and where we should be going has been in the forefront. Our future depends on it…maybe you should run for office? I would vote for you!
Hi Tom thanks for this post. I have become rather concerned in the last couple of years about the power of tech to consume more time than it gives. Most saliently I begin to believe that the loss of face to face interaction in the lives of families may be impacting student learning readiness. Preschoolers do not learn language skills efficiently from TV and other screens, I learned this year in grad school. There is a need to sort tech in school and home for learning- effective and non effective types.
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Hello Tom – Happy Holidays!
Our Change.School cohort is currently doing a book study. “The Human Side of School Change” by Robert Evans. https://goo.gl/KkueRJ
In chapter two Evans discusses the difference between the public ideal and the private realities of change. Several specific challenges to change can include; “change as loss”, “change challenges competence”, “change creates confusion”, “change causes conflict”. Like you, my patience is being tested, but this book has given me perspectives to consider. Finally, are we nurturing cultures of learning or cultures of teaching in our schools? The answer to this question can challenge assumptions and hopefully spark discussion about shifting school paradigms.
Bob
[…] I just read this article by Tom Whitby @tomwhitby. I think this is a common question among the educators I know and meet when I am attending conferences around the world, both online and in person. Sometimes it hits you that keynote speakers are repeating the same story talking about sitting in rows, teacher-driven classrooms and little engagement from the students. I know schools are different, that not all schools in the US are like this and that schools in Norway have for the most part moved on. But still, many educators are struggling with adjusting. Here is the end of the post written by Tom Whitby. You will find the full article here. […]
Tom, I read your blog on ASCD. I am totally empathetic. I became an educator for ESE students, which even the development of better practices and models for students with cognitive disabilities have stagnated in the past 10 years (stats). I got my master degree in Ed Leadership hoping I could make a difference. I am not the right ethnicity, race, gender, or age category in our politicized district. Now I am completing my dissertation in Learning Instruction & Innovation, and find gaps at all levels in the education. Little children students’ basic academic needs are not developed fully at their pedagogic level during the concrete neuro-psychological period of Learning. We do not need standardized tests to assess all the standards when they (children 3 to 11) do not have basic concrete concepts down. How can we even expect that these children will understand authors purpose when we know they can’t read! We are not doing justice to children’s education during this developmental period. Secondary education needs to change, too! As you stated, we are living in an information era, there is no going back! And we continue to accept the old way of systems in the new exploratory age of dynamic learning!
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