D/B1

In reading both articles, I feel I can relate with both authors. Reigeluth seems blatantly excited about the prospect of a complete overhaul of our current educational system through the use of technology while Postman seems to be of the mindset of  "if its not broke don't fix it" with the thought that the educational system works pretty well in its current state. In my admittedly few years teaching, it seems that students need a solution somewhere in the middle. 

Reigeluth's idea of customization of education as opposed to standardization really appeals to me as a teacher of a diverse group of students. I believe many students would succeed under Reigeluth's idea of "allowing children to progress at different rates and therefore purse different goals at the same time." One thing I have found, and enjoyed, about being a teacher is that all students are different. It would make sense in my mind then, that we play to these differences so that each student can succeed with talents that each student possesses. Though I find this idea of customization extremely interesting, I would like to find out how this idea is carried out, especially in an economy where schools have to cut out programs in an educational system that is already up and running.

Postman's continuing question of   "what is the problem to which technology is the answer?" sort of implies to me that he doesn't believe there to be a problem with how our schools function. In his illustration of buying a car, I don't believe that he really makes his point that technology is a bad thing and instead sounds like he doesn't like change rather than the technology itself. However,  I do agree with Postman in his concern that our society feels it can fix problems with enough information. It is very true that while we have more information, bigger problems are occurring. He says we lack "something else"  besides information,  and that ' "something else" is now the business of schools.' 

This is where I think the two authors' ideas meet. Technology cannot take the place of real human interaction between student and teacher and this is the primary place that the "something else" can be addressed in our schools. However, technology can be integrated to reach students who might otherwise be overlooked or have already been labeled as failures. We could also use technology to transform our current methods of teaching. Either way, our students are interested in technology and it would make sense to use technology in a positive way for the educational benefit of the student.

June 25, 2009

Here goes the first day of my first grad class.