Education Technology Article Response

 

If we take a closer look at our education system, we will see that we touch upon multiple modalities of teaching. This include auditory, visual, experience-based and now more-so than ever, virtual modalities. Our methods for educating students stems from the constant evolution of technology. These two articles explore the evolution of technology and its applications in education. Technology is a vague term that heavily relies on context. In other words, technology not only depends on resources, but it also depends on our goals and our methodologies of using resources to achieve such goals. There are many resources available to us in the classroom and in our environment. However, it is important to understand that maximizing use of technology is not always the most appropriate. We must utilize a combination of soft and hard technologies at varying capacities in order to optimize the learning experience.

In my opinion, the most simple form of communication (although I am sure the cavemen would beg to differ) is orally based. In earlier times, auditory learning was the predominant method used in education. Education, in this scenario, does not necessarily refer to schools but refers to general communication of information. For example, in ancient Greece, education came in the form of theatrical performances and poetry and was increasingly used in influential politics. It was interesting to read of the King of Egypt's perception of writing when this came to the surface of communication. He believed that “writing will implant forgetfulness” and “cease to exercise memory”. At the time, written communication was new and not integrated into the culture. As it was noted in the article, this does seem to be shockingly similar to the social media presence in today's culture. There are many critics of social media as it is very easy to manipulate for the wrong reasons. However, over time, I would expect social media to become a more acceptable tool used in education. Writing has expanded beyond books and articles, but has evolved into “tweets” and “blogs” which are more concise ways to present information. Prior to social media, we had the use of chalkboards and articles found on the internet. The internet, has since expanded in multiple directions and now combines auditory, visual, prerecorded and even interactive forms of education. No longer are television, radio, and articles used independently. The internet has integrated all of these forms of technology to be used together in one place. Something to note, is that technology did not evolve for use in the classroom, but was created to solve problems in the world, serve as more effective communication platforms for businesses and military. Therefore, we should expect that schools will embrace new inventions and ideologies, and incorporate their use into educational pedagogy.

The article, “Soft is hard and hard is easy”, explores the differences between soft and hard technologies. I find it interesting how sometimes this difference can be subtle and in other instances can seem so pronounced. In the article, the example of an automatic vs manual transmission car is a nice way to simplify this difference. A manual transmission is an example of soft technology, as the user is given more freedom and has to be more creative. However, there is more room for error. The automatic transmission is an example of a hard technology as the user does less, relying upon the mechanics of the system. I want to take this a step further. Autonomous vehicles are gaining traction in the automobile industry. In comparison to automatic transmission, this technology is absolutely “harder”. Therefore, I believe that as our culture evolves, so does our perception of what hard and soft technology. Manual transmission cars are flirting with extinction, as automatic transmission has become the norm. Students in Driver's Ed no longer learn how to use a clutch, but are taught that the “softest” version of a car is automatic. Autonomous vehicles, on the contrary, are so complex that it practically goes beyond comprehension. A similar example could be the evolution of phones. We used to find the ability to call someone from anywhere in town by using a pocket-sized device to be unthinkable. Now, we complain that we sometimes have to wait a few extra seconds for a crème broulee recipe to load on our “prehistoric” iPhone8 lacking 5G. Technology is, therefore, not strictly defined, but it closely relates to our culture and how we utilize resources. Alan Kay believes that technology is “anything invented after you were born”. I disagree with this belief, as I think technology can involve a more dynamic use of older technology. In other words, technology is adaptive based on the user's needs. In relation to teaching pedagogy, technology is incorporated into the methodologies used in teaching. In a social constructivism model, social technologies are used to help students engage in learning together through shared experiences. Technology can be used to excite students and help them to interact with each other and the world around them. The same is true for a connectivism model which is a less guided form of education. In this model, it is more difficult to use technology effectively as education is more open-ended. A good point is made in the article which refers to the connectivism model as an effective pedagogy for strong, motivated students. In the field of education, we have to think about equity, and making sure that students are provided with resources and technology that will ultimately enhance their learning experience. Sometimes, this involves more technology. Other times, it involves little technology (both soft and hard technology depending on the situation).

There is a balance that we must recognize with education and technology. Technology should not be forced into education just because it is available. The technology should be used to help students connect and learn. The internet, data analysis software, machine learning, and artificial intelligence advancements are accelerating and will inevitably have greater presence in education. Schools are starting to change immensely in favor of utilizing online resources. It is nearly impossible to predict the landscape of education in the future. However, we have to be cautious yet ambitious as we are introduced to new technologies. We must be dynamic and be prepared to adjust based on the needs, learning styles, and interests of students. We see how far we have come over the history of educational technology. While we still use some of the more primitive forms of technology in our lives today, we are constantly evolving and using more resources to benefit the learning experience. I wonder what technologies will become extinct, which will survive and which will flourish in the next generation of education.