Unit 1 Blog – Role of Tech in Education

What is the Value of a Teacher by Alan November (video) - There were two things that really stuck with me in Alan Novembers video. First, he questioned whether we were using new tools for old work? Second, he asked if our tools revealed more thinking? His exploration into understanding if students know how to use Google is a clear example that new tools are being used for old work. Clearly, educators and administrators need to do a better job of teaching students how to utilize these new tools and more specifically how to correctly search on Google. Like Mr. November, during my years teaching, I encouraged the use of Wikipedia to help design research and possible sources. However, I discouraged the use of Wikipedia any further. Using the same assignment over and over, year after year, is far from what is in the best interest of our students. Teachers need match assignments to utilize the technology. They also need to discuss important research points about primary/secondary sources, points of view, correctly searching, and many more things. Finding and discussing different view-points is a great way to reveal more thinking. When discussing the Civil War, many of my students saw it simply as a war to end slavery. It was my job to explain that this was northern view-point. Where-as the people in the southern states might view it as the war of northern aggression. Many think that rise in technology has decreased the role of the teacher, but the opposite is true. Technology is not de-valuing or decreasing the role of the teacher, it is making them pivot and put more attention on helping students correctly utilize this new tool. As Mr. November correctly states, teachers are more important than ever. 

21st Century Learning by Alan November (video) - Our goal as educators is to make what our students learn in our classrooms and schools limitless, or is it? In this video, Alan November discussed one of the most important and toughest things for teachers to do in a classroom, give up control. This control cannot be given up until relationships and trust have been built. According to Mr. November, we need to our teacher and students how to learn. We cannot put a boundary on education and a limit on information. We need to teach students how to correctly use this information. As Mr. November stated, “The revolution is information and not technology.” No time in history have students had more access to information than today. We need to find out what motivates our students and teach them to share their knowledge. Our students, according to Mr. November, are social learners that want to publish and share what they have done with the world. We need to embrace that and not stifle it. However, this is the tough part. We cannot do things the same way we have been doing them for the last 15 or 20 years. As an administrator, it will be my job to help change the mindset of some of the teachers in my building for the betterment of the students they teach. It will not be easy, but it will be necessary. 

Willard Daggett (video) - Daggett’s video and his story was powerful, inspiring, and a bit frustrating. Mr. Daggett highlighted the amazing things that educators have done for his family. He also stated, “[students] Are the best educated in the history of this country and simultaneously worse off.” Why is this? Mr. Daggett noted because the world and technology is changing. Schools in America have a dual focus on excellence and equality. Other countries do not share this focus, but our students still have to compete with their graduates. Mr. Daggett gave many examples of what the best schools do, like looping their teachers and allowing them to pick their advisor. The main point was not what these schools did, but that their culture supported it. Our students need to be college and career ready, but our schools are not preparing them. We need to prepare students function in the real-world and not in discipline. We need to help them understand that it is not enough to learn something, but be able to apply it. - Why is this video frustrating? To some extent, the video makes me feel like the boy in the story throwing back the starfish into the ocean. I know my role is important to every student I help, but the up-hill battle is real. We have systemic problems in our society and educational environment. Colleges are admitting students that have no business going to college. College is simply not for everyone. It is not the golden ticket to a better life. Many are finishing college with a degree in a field that is tough to find a job in and the massive student loan debt. Right away these graduates are put in a bad spot. It also seems that politically, both sides of the isle are against education. Rising and increased welfare programs do not promote education. Generational poverty is becoming more normalized in our society. This is also true for corporations that are deemed too big to fail. Schools are consistently under-funded and being asked to do more with less. Currently, the President believes that school choice should be more of a consideration, which would ultimately take more money from public schools. I 100% agree with Mr. Daggett that culture trumps strategy. However, it makes it tough for an administrator to go about changing culture when the deck is stacked against them.