Inspired by our oh so wonderful latest group project, I
decided this week to write about the rhetoric of technology in the classroom.
To start off, let me just simply say that I’m not remotely a
fan of technology. In some ways that makes me a hypocrite; I’m sitting here
typing on a laptop with my iPhone right next to me. But that’s not what I mean,
not exactly anyway.
I’m a firm believer that technology has proven to be
detrimental to the ability for our society to learn. In my generation, I
believe that this started with the PowerPoint and has progressed from there.
When I look back at my favorite classes that I have taken in
my lifetime, they are the ones that used the least bit of technology as a
teaching aid. They are also the ones that I learned the most in (even when they
weren’t my favorite, I still learned more in these classes). In this way, I am
not alone. I know many teachers, and students, who prefer not to use technology
in their classes because it does not yield the results that they wish.
The promoters of technology rarely see the point. They can
look at this new wonderful thing (whatever it may happen to be) and not only
feel the need to use it right away, but to encourage everyone around them to do
so as well.
In my opinion, this is selfish. Technology can be incredibly
unreliable – especially compared to simply giving a speech, writing a paper, or
reading a book. While, when done correctly, it has the potential to be quicker,
it also has the potential to take an exponentially longer amount of time to
complete the same amount of work.
 |
| http://www.leburke.com/roadtrip2008/images/phillyamish.jpg |
I also have a problem with technology because, as I
mentioned, I don’t learn as well from it. In a society based on grades, the
verbatim definitions on a slide show are often what teachers want to see on a test.
This means that student’s quickly copy down the slides before the teacher
clicks to the next one, meaning they rarely take in any of what the teacher is
saying anyway.
It would be foolish for me to say that I don’t see the point
– that is not the case at all. I just think that technology is getting way too
immersed into our education system. Something that I find terribly discouraging
as an aspiring teacher.
I hate technology. no it reAlly sucks. like really sucks. I was out doing that damn thing all last night. Your right though about the best classes not having the powerpoints. It hurts my eyes looking at words on a screen. Doesn't matter how fancy you make it look it still sucks
ReplyDeletetechnology is all good when your used to it but with everything coming out so quickly now a days it's pretty much a chore to learn everything. it really is true that the best classes come from basic methods not everything in life needs an upgrade.
ReplyDeletei think this is a really great post. i feel exactly the same way. technology while studying hinders us from acheiving the best grades we can. i mean, think of all the hours we spend on facebook or how often we stop to look at a text while doing homework. my favorite class has always been german. in high school and even now in college, its discussion-based, writing-centered, and is paired with many interactive actities that involve classmates instead of computers. im fluent in german now because of this. if we tried to incorporate technology i feel as if it just wouldnt have been the same
ReplyDeleteI found this pretty funny considering your problem with your project. I love technology, but maybe its because I stay up to date with all the new tech products and applications, and I love to edit videos and photos in their respective programs. I completely understand where you are coming from, though. It can be very frustrating to have to use programs for a project for a grade when you have no idea own to use the program, and it can be even more frustrating when this whole idea is implemented into a cirrocumuli when you may never use it again, but you could say the same thing about calculus and sciences. It is just another way to engage us and further our skills and knowledge as students, but it always isn't implemented in the best way.
ReplyDeleteI can see where you're coming from. I do like technology, but there are definitely limitations to it, especially when it comes to using it as a teaching aid. I really like the point you made regarding students copying down verbatim deinitions from PowerPoint slides in class. You really don't learn much from doing this, but I do it too because I want to do well on the exam. Even when I'm copying the stuff down, I know that I may retain more if I just sat there and actually listened to what the professor or teacher had to say. However, as you said, that is exactly what they want to see for answers on exams and therefore, I do it anyway.
ReplyDelete