http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/2014/09/20/you-are-asking-the-wrong-questions-about-education-technology/
I came across this article from Forbes magazine and was mostly intrigues because it was from Forbes...then realized that it was written by Jordan Shapiro (who wrote previous article that we read "Mindshift's Guide to Games and Learning"). It seems as if the business world believes that education is far behind the curve when it comes to technology and that “education is the one industry that hasn’t embraced the technologies of the 21st Century.” Mr. Shapiro was quick to say that We shouldn't be too hasty to incorporate a bunch of new technologies just because of society's modern obsession with Progress. We need to incorporate technology because it works.
One of the most interesting ideas that I took from this article was Shapiros comment:
"running schools according to the wisdom of the business world is precisely the thought paradigm which led to the high stakes testing procedures that currently plague the United States. We account for learning outcomes as if they were profit margins. We measure the dividends returned on technology and infrastructure investments. We see children as industrial resources evaluated according to their ability to download ‘workplace skills.’"
I had never thought of it that way but it really clicked with me. We do, in a way, look at students like numbers. We are always trying to get more of a profit (better scores) out of our students based on assessments. And now, with student growth as part of our evaluations, we are using our "profit margins" to say whether we are effective teachers or not. If only more profit equated to more pay though, right???:).
He also says that many place blame on poor government infrastructure For the poor implementation of technology in schools but that he is glad for this. He thinks that it keeps us from moving too fast. Many corporations Have increased productivity and profitability but at the expense of who???...the humans who operate them. I can completely agree with this. Technology has really sped up life. We want everything NOW and know we can have it NOW so expect it NOW!!!
I really feel that this was a great article and Shapiro hit a lot of points right on the nose!
Another point you don't mention, but is an underlying characteristic of any business person's assessment of education, is the non-educators lack of understanding of teaching. I think Shapiro would be with us on this. Many in the general public feel they know what it is like to teach because they went through school and saw teachers daily. Perspective is important and absent for those outside education.
ReplyDeleteThe government mandates (pushed by people who have no understanding of teaching) has unfortunately led us to looking at our students in that manner. We need to take a step back and remember that the science of teaching should never replace the art of teaching.
ReplyDeleteThis article provided a very interesting perspective. I think that many non-educators that are looking at education today have a very limited view of what the learning environment is today. Because of the generation many in business are coming from, they still view the classroom structure as the outdated lecture - then - homework process. My generation, whose children are currently in school, picture school as it was in the 1970s and 80s because that was their experience. I may be overgeneralizing, but often my generation still thinks a teacher just sits at a desk and grades all day, while little Jimmy and Susie work their fingers to the bone on worksheets and books. I agree that with the "children are our products" point of view, we remove the human condition and its development.
ReplyDeleteYou are all right on about the non- educator's view of the education system, I totally agree! Everyone should hold their judgement until they have lived a day in the other's shoes. And I really like Tammy's comment about the difference between the science of teaching and the art of teaching.
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