Does Technology Belong in Classroom Instruction?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/does-technology-belong-in-classroom-instruction-1431100454


The article I chose to read was a great one! This article pits two people, Ms. Nielsen and Dr. Bowen, with different views on technology in the educational system against one another. Each of them presents their case on why we do or do not need technology in our classrooms. Ms. Nielsen makes the case that we do need technology in our education because that is the way of the world. In today's society, the access to information is instantaneous. She does go on to discuss that the use of technology doesn't replace good teachers though. Teachers should be role models with technology and teach students how to find credible sources that can be used to help us better our learning. Her views on technology open up the possibilities for students to share what they have learned. Students will not simply submit a paper to a teacher on hard copy to an audience of one. They can now share their writings with the world in some degree by posting or sharing it out on the internet. Ms. Nielsen makes the case that in our ever changing world, our students need to be around technology, but teachers need to be also teaching students how to use it safely, and effectively.

Dr. Bowen has very different views on technology in education. He makes his case by stating that technology has not made us any smarter. From his writing I'm able to assume that he actually feels that because of the ease of access to information, with minimal credibility, we've actually spent a bunch of time "learning" information that isn't actually proven or factual. I really liked the comparison he made. "more TV channels haven't made us better informed and more exercise equipment hasn’t made us fitter." Technology alone won't make us smarter, but learning how to use that technology in meaningful ways can help us start to make new connections that can lead to new learnings.