Technology education the year 2020

It seems as time moves forward by seconds, technology leaps forward by minutes.

This is certainly relevant to education. So far the conversation has been about how we can utilize the educational potential that new technology offers.

As we strive to answer this question, I think, Wait! Not so fast! The thought is powerful, as the intention is true, but lets answer a few questions first.

1. What is our end goal? Right now the educational system is set up so that technology is a means to an end, and not an end itself. Technology is a medium for accessing science, math, English, and all of the other subjects that are held near and dear to our hearts - and the state standards. When a course is offered on technology it is an elective - kind of like a fun afterthought.

Use of technology certainly isn't assessed in any meaningful way. If a student can't solve an algebra problem, they are a "child left behind", and all sorts of programs and money kicks in to "catch them up". If a child doesn't pass his technology class, either he/she isn't good enough at copying yet, or maybe just needs to try something else - like P.E.

The only ones that are bold enough to treat technology as an end is the ones that are far away from tradition and regulation - private and charter schools. For how long do charter schools need to succeed and public school fail before someone cries foul and pushes the reset button on education?

2. Technology is EXPENSIVE. Who is going to pay for it?

I recently saw this political cartoon by MSNBC which largely summarizes this question that I am rising.


Politics since FDR has been interesting. The criteria for a politician to be elected is largely how convincing that politician is that the largest amount of money possible will be taken from the public coffers. Vast amounts of funds have constantly been taken for schools, with a buzz-line that is getting cliche: "It's for the children!"

There is a problem: That mentality is catching up with us. By 2030, money spent on social security, medicare, and interest on the national debt will exceed the revenue of the federal government. In the nearer future, money dumped into the system to kick start the economy will drive up inflation and interest rates.

In other words: The climate that we are now in, where everyone is asking: "Where is the money?" is not likely to change. Is technology a luxury or a necessity? Will the public be willing to pay for this?

Well I guess that takes us back to the first question. Since we know we can master the basics without technology, is technology itself essential for my child's education? Will mastery of technology really make them more competitive in the market, or will it turn them into a World of Warcraft-playing porn addicts? Does teaching kids technology turn them into Eisensteins in the making, or just incredibly efficient time-wasters?

EDS 204 Final video script

To listen to a short description of my video project, click here. Or, you can copy and paste this URL:

http://edsserver.ucsd.edu/courses/eds204/su10/a/Hyrum-Andrews-digital-story-preview.mp3

Written:

What difference can a teacher really make?

Why do we need teachers?

Can't we just read books to obtain knowledge?

Can't we just go online?

Why waste the time?

Why waste the money?

This is my story:

Narration:

In high school I had two classes that had a profound influence on me. In my chemistry class I was bored. It was not interesting to me, and not challenging.

Written:

What is the point?

Who cares? I will still get a good grade with this guy, no matter what I do.

What this have to do with my world?

When do I get to blow something up?

Narration:

The next year I took genetics. Suddenly, biology started to come alive.


Later in college, chemistry came alive for me as well. I realized what a difference those two classes had made in shaping my future goals and aspirations. If it had not been for the enthusiasm for learning that my genetics teacher had instilled on me, I probably would never have had the desire to pursue science, and perhaps not even college.

Written:

So why teachers again?

From my own high school experiences, it has become clear.

If students were robots, we could read the information.

We could download it.

But we are humans.

And we need a human experience.

So that the learning comes alive.

I want to be a teacher because I want to give back what my genetics teacher gave me: the tools and inspiration to succeed.

Narration:

So am I there yet?
Ha, ha, not yet...

Will I get there?
Definitely!

Teaching English Learners

I feel like I have grown so much this year - my first year of teaching.

It has been challenging. With 60% of my students beginning and intermediate English learners, I was perplexed at how I would be able to teach a class where a significant population could not understand what I was saying. As many had also be educated in Mexico or African countries, I could not rely on them having been educated in any particular subject that I was addressing.

I did wonder at times what good I was really doing. Should I teach to the top tier of the students, and hope that the others learn English? Do I abandon science altogether and focus on teaching English? How would I grade? Does an English learner get an "F" for not being able to read or understand me? These and many other questions were going through my head.

Throughout the year, I learned a lot about my students. I found that they were capable of so much, but they needed the right scaffolding to bring the content to where they could reach it. At the same time, it is tricky because students are like water: they will always take the path of least resistance. Several of my students had been in the school district for up to five years and had not progressed even one level in English proficiency. Spanish was the primary language spoken by the students in my class. Even the ones that were English proficient, Spanish was easier for them to speak. The problem with this is they were not being prepared to be competitive after high school, and were not able to pass the California High School Exit Exam

A good example of this was a project that I started toward the end of the year. Their task was to write a persuasive essay on a bio ethical subject. I broke their task into very digestible pieces. Their essay would consist of the following components:

1. Hook the reader (with a question)
2. Target audience
3. State claim
I believe... / I think... / It seems to me that...
4. Supporting evidence
5. Counter argument
Some people may say that...
I would argue however, ...
6. Conclusion

The results of this project are being analyzed and are part of my teacher inquiry project. So far the results have been very promising. I have been amazed to see some of the essays from beginning and intermediate English Language Learners. I think the strength was for them to have something concrete to to go by. Six solid steps to follow in writing an essay, and starting sentences for each paragraphs. When that block was out of their way, their own creativity and ingenuity manifested itself on the page.