Being replaced by technology has been on the human mind starting in the mid 1990's (check out The End of Work by J. Rifkin, 1996) and still going strong today (Machines will eventually take on every job- BBC 2015). With the increase of technology use in classroom over the last 5 years, teachers are shaking in their boots right along with truck drivers, waitresses and customer service representatives.
Could it really happen?
If teachers and administrators keep shoving as much technology into the
classroom and school curriculum as possible, without stepping back to answer
"why are we using this technology", then yes, technology will replace
teachers.
Making content more
accessible through learning management systems and digital media. Allowing
students to use the same technology they constantly choose to be on during
their free-time. Opening up doors to experiences lost without a virtual
connection or component. These are the positive reasons for technology use in
the classroom and surely this is what everyone has in mind when they put
technology into student's hands.
Most of the time, the
technology is made available before teachers, and students, really know why
they are being asked (or told) to use it in the first place. This is all
backwards. Before curriculum changes are made, before apps and digital content
are explored and most certainly before new technology is purchased, schools and
teachers need to be asking "why are we using this specific technology?
How will it facilitate learning? How will it be more successful in growing
students and helping them achieve more than the strategies we are already implementing?”
Out of the plethora of
resources in the "future land", only a few even mentioned different
teaching styles/educational framework instead of focusing solely on the newest gadget, app or way to
present content (mobile learning!). Out of the articles that did hint at
teaching strategies and approaches, I was a bit disappointed to see their
predictions. While they do not boost these predictions as the right course of
action, we all know many teachers, administrators and non-educators, will job
on board to make sure they are implementing the latest and greatest.
One article, Top 9 e-learning predictions for 2014,
mentioned "Gamification" and "Video based learning".
Hopefully they mean "Game-based learning" and not Gamification. If
you are not sure of the difference, check out this Video
Presentation. The Journal, which aims at "transforming
education through technology" (10 major tech trends in education)
lists access to personal mobile devices as #1 with using a mobile device for
homework as #4. Message received. Because kids are on their cell phones 24/7,
making content mobile accessible will make them love to learn! Or will it?
Another, The Future: What 32 Ed Leaders are
Excited About, was a little more on track. The article quotes Jessie
Woolley who says "Digitized versions of a textbook or worksheet does not
produce a personalized experience" and Elaine Berndes with "Teaching
kids how to do life" is what excites her.
Lastly, Launching the Workshop really
hit the nail on the head. Even though "the Workshop" is an entirely
redesigned school, their philosophies and core ideas can be applied to all
classroom settings. Using technology to create online portfolios of student
work, to differentiate within subject areas, provide additional support to
students, and to facilitate productivity and collaboration.
Grouping all of these
articles together can be misleading. Some are just attempting to comment on the
newest technology trend, while others are trying to tackle the big problems
within our educational system. The real problem is that many people do lump
these two topics together and believe that technology can solve the educational
epidemic we are facing.
Jordin Shapiro, seen in
the video presentation linked above, summarizes the 4 Fundamental Problems With Everything
You Hear About the Future of Education as;
1. Kids are bored and
technology will provide better ways to engage students.
2. More data-based
adaptive technologies will lead to child-centered curricula.
3. Video games will
finally contextualize academic content.
4. Learning should be
more fun
Next time you plan a
lesson, or go to revise curricula, really ask, "why this specific technology?"
If the answer is "It will make the content more engaging.", "We
will have access to more data on student achievement.", "Kids are
already on their phones 24/7, why not use them for content?", then dig a
little bit deeper. Technology is not a Band-Aid for bored kids and budget cuts.
It is not more than a tool to personalize
learning and provide blended learning opportunities.
Technology will not
bring an end to the teaching profession if it is used to change the way
education is framed. Technology will help students become passionate about
learning. Technology will make the classroom more
personal, not less. It will leave teachers and students more time for collaboration and innovation (Why The Future Of Technology Is All Too Human). More thought into the "why are we using technology?" question more than the "which technology are we using" question will ensure technology is the tool that facilitates students becoming high achievers in life, not just in the classroom.
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