EDU352 Journal Assignment: The Evolution of Educational Technology

When surveying the history of educational technology, a few key developments stand out: the use of radio, television, computers, and the Internet in classrooms. With the introduction of each of these into the education scene, naysayers were at the ready. These were toys, designed for leisure activities, not for productivity—why would they, how could they possibly be used as educational tools? And yet, with the will and work of the educators of the times, it was done. Sometimes, it was done fantastically, so that students were engaged and motivated like never before.

Television in the Classroom, c. 1950s.

But the most striking characteristic that these developments share is that they are based in social connectivity. They have shaped the landscape of education by connecting it to the world outside the classroom, by keeping those two environments linked in such a way that education is no longer contained within its own existence, but rather coexists with the real and wider world. This is what drives student interest—the constant question, “How is this going to help me? What can I do with this lesson, this skill? Why should I learn this?” With these connective technologies, we have begun answering that question for our students, so that they can see the end goals that lie beyond end of year testing and high school graduation. With each new development in these social technologies, we can more thoroughly answer that question, and give students passion, incentive, and direction.

My personal experience with educational technologies can be characterized by transitions. As I entered high school in 2004, new technological transitions were beginning to take shape. Overhead projectors used in middle school were slowly being replaced by interactive white boards, which teachers were unsure how to use. We, the students, tried to help our struggling teachers, but often with little success—by the time I graduated, we still had one teacher that insisted on using it as a dry-erase whiteboard, much to the dismay of the custodial staff. We had desktop computers available throughout the school—at least one in most classrooms—which students could use, and lacking personal access, I often did. Data storage was moving from 3½” floppy disks to USB sticks, and the Internet connection slowly improved. By the time I graduated in 2008, many of these changes were in place, and I’m sure more changes have been made since I’ve left.

Left: The Overhead Projector, or "The Old Way"   Right: The Interactive Whiteboard, or "The New Way"

This experience with educational technology was overwhelmingly positive, though not without its drawbacks. We often spent more time focused on learning how to use the technology than actually using it for a productive purpose, as in the case of the interactive white boards and new softwares like redesigned versions of Word and PowerPoint. Once we made it past the initial steps, however, the benefits became clearer. I learned to accomplish new tasks in shorter amounts of time, like building presentations and editing the layout of articles for the school newspaper. It also became much easier to search for information—especially that which wasn’t readily available at out small local library. When I wanted to learn ASL, for example, my only resource was an old textbook my parents hadn’t returned to their school library in Cleveland, which had outdated signs and explanations of Deaf culture. It was much easier to use the school’s Internet to discover more current and appropriate signs (which showed movement better than 2-D arrows, too!), as well as current trends and issues in the Deaf community. (As an example, here are the signs for education and technology—I found them in less than five minutes). This access to information was, I think, the most beneficial of all—I could learn anything I wanted, without the restraints of a small town library and underfunded school district. My education was suddenly boundless.

In her 2011 article featured on Edutopia, Suzie Boss says “technology can help students develop higher-order thinking skills, creativity, and research abilities” (Boss, 2011). I wholeheartedly believe it. I’ve seen it, and I’ve lived it. Higher-order and creative thinking become a necessity when navigating new technological landscapes. And at the rate of its evolution, the technological landscape will always, in some capacity, appear “new”. To manage this rapid change, collaboration, creativity, and motivation are key, for students and adults alike. My experience with educational technology has taught me all of these, and my hope is that it can and will do the same for my students.

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Reference:

Boss, S. (2011, Sept 7). Technology Integration: A Short History. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-history