Shawna Bertrand EDU 636 Technology ONLINE Tech Article Review: "Self-Destructing Tech Gadgets" -CNN

Shawna Bertrand

Assignment 7 Part Two

Blog Review: "Self-Destructing Tech Gadgets Article" -CNN

Article Link:
http://techland.time.com/2013/07/16/researchers-are-working-on-self-destructing-gadgets/

I came across the above article while searching for an interesting article topic to post for this assignment. Sure enough, I was lucky to discover this "gem" of an article. The topic of the article says it all with “Researchers Are Working On Self-Destructing Gadgets,” a title that quickly conjures up mental images of a suited up Mission Impossible character throwing out a top secret spy gadget just as it self-destructs into smithereens. This is precisely the mental image I found myself imaging as I reviewed this article for this blog post. It is yet another example of the extreme lengths that technology developers will go to in order to design and mass market the next big ticket item, or hot commodity of the year, for equally massive profit and notoriety. The product developers have big plans for biodegradable tech products, but the spy-style detonations may be left to the movies and covert military technology.

This article shares that the new technology being developed is water-soluble versions of circuit board components found in many cell phones and other small tech gadgets. The intention is to design innovative tech products that are able to dissolve when exposed to water, or that detonates when the product has reached the end of its lifespan. This is also referred to as the concept of products being “born to die.” The hope is that researchers can successfully create technological gadgets that dissipate at lifespan’s end, thus eliminating more toxic waste. Developers argue that these products will make a positive impact on the amount of electronics and gadgets that wind up in landfills.

I feel as though these innovative ideas are the way of the future, and have likely been used in varied forms by military and government unbeknownst to the general public’s awareness for some time. These products ultimately provide insight into the direction that technology will assume in the years ahead, as well as the focus the World is giving to environmental responsibility. These products hold the potential for future corporations to design and produce “green” tech products and materials that are both consumer and environmentally friendly.

I think this article could be used in the classroom as an adaptive topic or tool for incorporating their experiences in the very technologically-advanced world they live in, while making references to the aspects and content of environmentalism. I also think that the students could have fun developing their own mock “green” tech gadgets or gizmos to share with their peers. This not only reinforces their connection and responsibility to their planet, but sparks interest and relates them to things that they are very familiar with and are part of their culture.

Cautious Optimism on Technology in the Classroom- Alex Cerny

I read Catching on at last: New technology is poised to disrupt America’s schools, and then the world’s from The Economist. This article discusses the issues with the implementation of technology in the classroom. It states that technology use is beneficial but especially so when how it is used is considered. The new technologies allow teachers to better understand how students learn and provides them with endless data. The issue becomes what to do with all the data and how to protect it. An additional concern is that these technologies maybe reserved for only the wealthy, when it is the lower income schools that could benefit from it the most.

http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21580136-new-technology-poised-disrupt-americas-schools-and-then-worlds-catching-last

Want to Amplify Student Voice? Write a Book Together

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/amplify-student-voice-write-book-together-suze-boss

I found this article through my Twitter feed from Edutopia.  I thought it was an interesting way to combine both technology and language arts into one big project.  I teach writing to 7th and 8th graders, and this type of project would allow for all sorts of writing tasks.  I like that the kids are coming up with ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.  I think kids have such a wide technology knowledge-base, so it is good to have them provide ideas on how to incorporate it into the classroom.  I also see this as a great way to show kids that they can do anything they put their minds to.  I have used the Freedom Writer's Diary in the past, which is another book written by a teacher and her students.  It shows the kids that anyone can write a book if they just put forward the effort needed.  I also think sometimes it is more meaningful to kids to read what other kids have accomplished, showing them that it can be done.

In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

This is an article discussing the caution we should take as we bring technology into the classroom.  The word itself--technology--has become a bit of a buzzword in the education realm.  Everything associated with that word seems to be positive, except for the results.  While I am a strong supporter of practical technology (such as I've been introduced to in this class), I do believe a lot of money is wasted on useless or unproven technology at the expense of teachers.

If we consider, for a second, that this class may very well be the one and only technology class we take at the collegiate level (as it is for me), the idea that we should somehow transfer into technological experts is sort of an absurdity.  We have a computer app teacher at the school I'll be teaching at, and she's excellent.  My expertise will be in teaching English.  While there will definitely be some incorporation of technology into my classroom (especially from the lessons I've done in this class), it will not be the center point of the educational experience itself in my classroom.  It is a tool, which is what this class promotes.  However, when technology becomes the focus, that's when we see learning decrease.

Widespread, we are seeing technology budgets for schools grow while the rest of the school budgets shrink.  We are seeing teachers being laid off while technological advances continue to increase.  The article insinuates the roots of our modern technological push date back to a 1997 meeting held by President Clinton with some of the top technological minds in the country.  At this meeting, it was urged that billions would be funded to increase technology in the classroom.  At the end of the meeting, however, the report's final sentence read: “The panel does not, however, recommend that the deployment of technology within America’s schools be deferred pending the completion of such research.”

Our problem, as a nation, is that we have yet to see any conclusive results of this research.  The idea of a technological push has good morals behind it for the most part, I believe.  It's sort of like No Child Left Behind in a way.  I like it when government focuses on education.  However, teachers are the ones who are experts on education, and they are rarely consulted in these matters.    

Unfortunately (and this is unfortunate), because of No Child Left Behind (etc.), we have limited ourselves to one single way of measuring the growth of our students' learning, and that is through the standardized test.  Nationwide, test scores have remained virtually the same since this program began.  The infusion of technology has done next to nothing to improve it.  But is that the focus?  Should that be the goal?  Karen Cator of the USDE doesn't seem to think so: “Test scores are the same, but look at all the other things students are doing: learning to use the Internet to research, learning to organize their work, learning to use professional writing tools, learning to collaborate with others.”

This is a valid point, although it might be a bit presumptuous to assume that the learning they are experiencing is the result of school and not prior knowledge.  After all, technology is increasing at a rate exponentially faster than at any other time in human history.  Most students in schools have now spend their entire lives with digital media.  

The debate rages on.

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2013/03/01/the-education-technology-revolution-is-coming

Reflection

The article I chose is about how schools need to be willing to accept technology in the classroom or risk being left behind. There is no doubt about how technology is really controlling our everyday lives. Whether its facebook, twitter, smart phones, or just checking email people use technology everyday. The article compares what's going on now to the dot com era during the 90's. To me, technology needs to be embraced in the classroom and used when possible. I really don't believe that technology will take over the everyday discussion and hard copy books that we use but rather will be a key resource to use. Whether it's using kindle or Ipads to engage students, active learning is the best tool a teacher can use. The article mentions this and I believe it's a huge tool to use. At my first school I taught at we were one to one with computers. In my opinion, I really thought this was a great way to engage students. I had online assignments, I posted discussion blogs, and I even made power points of the day's lesson available to the students. As we prepare our kids for college and being able to take care of themselves I believe using technology at a young age is a good way to ensure that this happens.

A Swiveling Proxy That Will Even Wear a Tutu

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/08/education/for-homebound-students-a-robot-proxy-in-the-classroom.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

In this article, the author discusses how a robot called VGo makes it possible for children with rare conditions or long-term illnesses to continue to participate in their typical school setting. The robot allows students to see what is going on in the classroom as well as flash a light to interact with the teacher and students. The robot has been used in several schools and the feedback has been very positive. The only drawback to the robot is the uncertainty of internet connection. Just like all technology, the robot has times where it isn't reliable to do the job it was made to do.

I really like this piece of technology and I think it would be great to see more schools using it. The article discusses that some schools buy the technology and some families raise the money through fundraisers to purchase on their own. I think it would be great to get more government funding in schools for technology such as this to assist the families of the children who benefit from the VGo. I think it is great that the children still receive the communication and interaction with their teachers and peers, instead of having homework sent home and getting very little interaction.