October 28, 2008
Technology needs to inform and support students learning, using technology for it’s own sake or as a sort of ‘big brother’ approach to teaching is just as problematic as any instructionist approach.
The constructionist model of Plainview High, whilst idealistic displays a school environment that most would be aiming for. An environment where technology is used to support and further educational opportunities rather than the Highville approach of using technology as a tool of school bureaucracy.
Like any tool of learning in the classroom technology should be used to benifit the learning, to allow greater understanding and interaction of the students in the activities planned for them.
Allowing students access to technology such as the internet and digital material means that students can use the technology to expand on their understanding of texts, for example if an english class is doing a unit on adolescants, they can use the internet to research the issues and concepts raised in the novel they are studying. The students can then apply their learning in a digital project.
Romeo’s article pushs the Constructionism Vs Instructionism concepts to extremes however i do not think he has gone byond the realm of what is possible, if technology is viewed as a kind of cure all, then it has the possibility of being mis-utalised and be as unappealing to students as any educational form. If students are able to use technology that is part of their cultural understanding to inform and propell their learning then we as educators have used it well.