The Practical Impractically of Technology
Setting aside serious questions about technology, even the uncritical embrace of computers and the Internet in the classroom poses real problems. First of all, while most public schools have some computers and Internet access, they usually do not have enough computers for even a small portion of the student population. Thus, teaching students to use computers and the Internet is not practically possible. Furthermore, given that many students do not have functioning computers and/or Internet access at home, it is manifestly unfair to give technology assignments as homework.
To address these difficulties, many schools have directed their resources to the creation of computer rooms that teachers can reserve for their students throughout the school day. Although this sounds like a great idea in theory, in practice there are far too many students and far too few computer rooms. In the school where I teach as an intern, I was told on my first day that all the computer rooms were booked solid for the time I would be teaching. This makes embracing technology very difficult for the average public school instructor – even one who is in love with computers and the Internet.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
I share your concerns. Technology is a wonderful tool for our students, but if we do not have the resources to share it with them, the situation can become highly frustrating. Though we may not be able to book time in the computer lab this month, or next month, I don’t think that gives us a license to stop trying. Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of our society. If we fail to expose students to computers and the internet on the most basic level, we are doing our students a disservice.
If grants can be used to buy books for libraries, why can’t they also help fund computer labs? I know that our school’s silent auction recently raise $14,000 in one night. Where is that money going? Call me an optimist, but I still believe that if we keep trying we can make it work. If nothing else, we owe it to our students to try.
November 8th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
I think Ellen’s right here: it’s vital not to lie down and accept the status quo. You’ll find people telling you it’s impossible to give access to computers to all pupils, but it’s such a huge part of life now that if we don’t use the tech as a routine part of our teaching we fail the pupils. And too many of the people with the purse strings are dinosaurs anyway ;-)
November 9th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
Ed- You have to keep trying. I know it’s frustrating to love technology and be willing to use it in creative ways, and then honestly to not have the necessary resources. It’s a bummer. As you know, however, computer skills are necessary for success in higher levels of education. We do our students a disservice if we allow ourselves to be permanently discouraged against incorporating new technologies.
November 10th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
Ed - I hope you keep trying. It is so important for students to learn to utilize technology. They love the social networking so why not use these tools as part of our teaching and teach the kids the appropriate use. It can be frustrating to have limited access, but our kids deserve everything we can give them. Good Luck!
November 15th, 2006 at 3:59 pm
Ed,
I totally hear you on struggle to integrate technology into the classroom! I was made aware of the “computer lab” situation on my second day of student teaching! It makes me question… “what to teacher really aim to accomplish by sending students to teh computer lab?” Will they actually do research? Or will they play games on the internet? And is the computer lab jsut a break for the teacher? I have shown two power point presentation in my class, and while the students do benefit from the images and sounds, it is also very time intensive. I agree with the other folks, that we need to “keep trying”, chugging along the technology train. But, I do think we must have at the forefront, will this really help the students?