Article review plus Annie's questions...

I read the article "Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom". Marc Prensky, the author of the article, states, "The biggest question about technology and schools in the twenty-first century is not so much 'What can it do?' but, rather, 'When will it get to do it?'" I agree. Technology brings with it so many possibilities within the classroom that we do not embrace. It allows students to see, hear, and embrace ideas and concepts within a way that a lecture cannot provide. However, a balance must be required. I do not believe infiltrating the classroom with all technological devices and ways of learning is the best way to educate either.

My biggest concern with bringing technology into the classroom comes with the idea that each individual student possess a computer. Pensky explains, "It appears that students who write on a computer turn in longer and higher-quality assignments than those who compose by hand, even though it's still writing." As a future English teacher, I obviously desire to find any possible way to encourage students and help students enhance their writing. However, the problem I find with this idea is that students are students. They will use e-mail. They will go on Facebook. They will not pay attention to an ounce of what you are saying in the classroom. So do we only pull the computers out for assignments? If so, that's basically how we are doing it today.

In addition to this, Prensky suggests a way of helping our attitude against change. He exclaims, "I suggest that every lesson plan, every class, every school, every school district, and every state ought to try something new and then report to all of us what works and what doesn't; after all, we do have the Internet." This is a great idea, but I think it runs deeper than just a fear of change. It lies within a fear of failure. Not only do the perfectionists (in which I am one for sure) in this world fear failure, but our society in general fears failure. This is sad, for it is through failure where people can learn, grow character, and learn who they are. Failure promotes learning! Learning!!! And yet we as educators fear it. Thus, in order to truly learn from one another's successes and MISTAKES, we have to be willing to make mistakes to begin with. Instilling that way of thinking in the minds of our education systems is not easy, because no teacher wants to take risks, and certainly no school system wants to miss an extra paycheck for what people perceive as successful learning.