Read Ch. 5 of Rethinking Education (pp. 66-90); post a reflection to your reflective learning blog:
How does this reading impact your thinking about technology's role in teaching and learning?
What will you do differently as a future teacher as a direct result of this new thinking?
The seeds of a new education system are evident because our country’s education system is transforming from a learning system build to accommodate mass numbers of diverse immigrants to something new. These new systems include homeschooling, charter schools, distance learning, adult education, videos, and many others. These often accompany each other such as a child who is home schooled that receives online distant tutoring. Learning is becoming more important to people of all ages rather than just children. I find it interesting that research shows that the score differences due to issues of a student’s race, gender, or background are almost non-existent in standardized test scores of home schooled children. Having grown up in public schools, I have always been skeptical of homeschooling practices. I will further look into the methods of homeschooling to hopefully adjust my public school classroom practices to close the gaps in standardized test scores.
Workplace learning has always been important because it is not common for a new employee to walk onto the job on their first day and know exactly what is going on. Recently this workplace learning has been changing to a system which works to continually educate its workforce throughout its lifetime to adjust for change. Some workplaces feel that graduated college students with specialized degrees still do not have the accurate training to complete their job. These employers began to provide on the job training and started to collaborate with colleges to meet the workforce needs. I am a strong believer that educators need to prepare students for the real world. Whether it be skills for college, the workforce, or lifelong learning it will be important that I collaborate with workplace managers and college professors to determine what they will expect of my students.
The establishment of educational television and videos has been viewed negatively and positively by educators. Skeptics feel that the introduction of television and other visual media has given children the idea that learning is as easy as sitting back and observing. They feel watching is not enough and that concrete learning comes from doing hard work and concentration. Skeptics also feel that this visual media has started to diminish the experience of being a kid because of the increased exposure of adult content on T.V. and media. Enthusiasts believe that these new media venues have provided ways to turn learning into a fun thing rather than a chore. It has become fun for people of all ages. For example, the Discovery Channel has captured the attention many older people to provoke lifelong learning.
I feel that educational media is overall positive. Channels and programs such as the History Channel and the Discovery Channel have even sparked my interest to learn more about new topics. I think that the skeptics have a very good point when it comes to students feeling that learning simply comes with watching. I want to integrate this educational media into my classroom while still valuing hard work and concentration. I feel that it would be very hard to fight against the use of educational videos in the classroom because it is already well established. I think they are a great way to connect with visual learners.
All of the seeds of a new education system show evidence of a changing education system. Only time will tell if they are for the good or bad. We need to embrace the changes and work to better them. I do not think that the changes will be the downward spiral of the public education system as we know it, but we need to adapt.
"Any teacher that can be replaced by technology--should be."
--Arthur C. Clarke
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