I feel that I should explore the introduction in yesterday's post a bit more. I want to define my current educational philosophy on technology and teaching. I tend towards Ursula Franklin's views on technology: that it is a set of practices that exists here and now. According to Franklin, "Technology involves organization, procedures, symbols, new words, equations, and, most of all, a mindset."[1] So, in essence technology is anything that we use to solve any problem. I find this definition to be much truer to my sense of technology.
So, that means that on this site we could examine almost anything ... which is exciting. However, I think I will start with some uses of some of the things you find on this blog, such as: twitter, apture, and the blog itself.
Until tomorrow ...
[1] Franklin, Ursula. (1992) The Real World of Technology. (CBC Massey lectures series.) Concord, ON: House of Anansi Press Limited. ISBN 0-88784-531-2
I'm interested in the definition of technology you've cited here. It seems to me that the word "technology" is synonymous with "culture". We can see by looking at history how the introduction of a new culture (or technology) has impacted education. The most drastic example being christian missionaries of western Europe teaching native communities all over the world. For better or worse our world has embraced the "technology" of the western world.
ReplyDeleteWhen you speak of using technology in education, what procedures, methods of organization and "mindset" are you referring to?
In our society I believe that technology and culture are synonyms. And I include the entirety of the developed world in my definition of 'our' society. We are a technological culture whether we see it or not. I use Franklin's view of technology as I feel it helps us see technology for what it truly is. We tend to focus on new gadgets (i.e. cell phones, iPods, TVs) as technology, whereas they are just a few limited examples. Franklin urges us to see technology as surrounding us in all that we do. It is our here and now. I use this view, as I feel it can counteract the initial reluctance to adopt technology in the classroom. The idea that technology is not needed becomes moot.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your point with the residential schools, Franklin continues to describe two types of technologies: holistic and prescriptive. Holistic technologies are ones in which the user is in total control of the process and product (i.e. Artisans). Prescriptive technologies break tasks down into discrete steps that can be measured and performed independently of other steps. In many ways, teaching tends towards the latter step. We strive to find ways to produce perfect teachers by giving them step-by-step instructions of what to say, how to respond to students, and what to assign for homework for example. This takes the students control out of the process, it reduces the act of learning to something that is rote. Whereas the view that teaching is akin to art, allows for teachers to work towards a final product as they see fit to do so. This encourages student involvement, it encourages teachers to address each student as a unique individual, it encourages holistic approaches to learning.
So, to finally answer your question. When I refer to technology in education, I am referring to the organization, procedures, terminologies, and language used to instruct. This includes (but is not limited to) the layout of the class (i.e. teacher at the front, students in rows), the methods of instruction (lecture or group work), the means of presentation (voice, blackboard, Smart Board), the means of evaluation and so on.
My goal with Web2.0 technologies is to find ways to redirect the control of learning back into the hands of the students, in the same way that web2.0 gives the people back its voice.
I hope that helps answer your question.
Oh, and you get the first comment on my blog award (the award is that line I just wrote).
In our society I believe that technology and culture are synonyms. And I include the entirety of the developed world in my definition of 'our' society. We are a technological culture whether we see it or not. I use Franklin's view of technology as I feel it helps us see technology for what it truly is. We tend to focus on new gadgets (i.e. cell phones, iPods, TVs) as technology, whereas they are just a few limited examples. Franklin urges us to see technology as surrounding us in all that we do. It is our here and now. I use this view, as I feel it can counteract the initial reluctance to adopt technology in the classroom. The idea that technology is not needed becomes moot.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your point with the residential schools, Franklin continues to describe two types of technologies: holistic and prescriptive. Holistic technologies are ones in which the user is in total control of the process and product (i.e. Artisans). Prescriptive technologies break tasks down into discrete steps that can be measured and performed independently of other steps. In many ways, teaching tends towards the latter step. We strive to find ways to produce perfect teachers by giving them step-by-step instructions of what to say, how to respond to students, and what to assign for homework for example. This takes the students control out of the process, it reduces the act of learning to something that is rote. Whereas the view that teaching is akin to art, allows for teachers to work towards a final product as they see fit to do so. This encourages student involvement, it encourages teachers to address each student as a unique individual, it encourages holistic approaches to learning.
So, to finally answer your question. When I refer to technology in education, I am referring to the organization, procedures, terminologies, and language used to instruct. This includes (but is not limited to) the layout of the class (i.e. teacher at the front, students in rows), the methods of instruction (lecture or group work), the means of presentation (voice, blackboard, Smart Board), the means of evaluation and so on.
My goal with Web2.0 technologies is to find ways to redirect the control of learning back into the hands of the students, in the same way that web2.0 gives the people back its voice.
I hope that helps answer your question.
Oh, and you get the first comment on my blog award (the award is that line I just wrote).
I'm interested in the definition of technology you've cited here. It seems to me that the word "technology" is synonymous with "culture". We can see by looking at history how the introduction of a new culture (or technology) has impacted education. The most drastic example being christian missionaries of western Europe teaching native communities all over the world. For better or worse our world has embraced the "technology" of the western world.
ReplyDeleteWhen you speak of using technology in education, what procedures, methods of organization and "mindset" are you referring to?