Technology Related Education Misuse
One of the most disturbing trends I see in the Western education system today is the abuse of the term “technology education.” In their fervent desire to improve our educational system, leaders at all levels of the field are stressing the importance of technology … technology in the classroom, integrated technology, electronic tracking of results, etc. We should all be able to agree that on the surface these goals are good for our schools. However, lost in all of this is the necessary skill development of the students. Almost nowhere can you read specifics about what I call legitimate technology education for learners. Despite the prevalence of technology-oriented goals in the Race to the Top effort, just try to find the teaching of application skills among the pages of detailed criteria for the rights to government funding.
Technology Curriculum Gap
At recent state technology education conferences, I have observed vendor booth after vendor booth promoting technology education products. But try to find an actual technology curriculum; it’s almost completely unavailable. I’m talking about a subject to teach students a computer applications suite and Web 2.0 applications. I agree that technology can and should be used to increase education in every subject and that it’s more impactful to bring color, sound, and motion, along with the Internet, into the learning experience. But while using a Smart Board or an electronic multiple choice gizmo to teach history will meet one goal, it will never substitute for a high-quality technology education program.
Computer Skills Neglect
All too frequently now I‘m hearing of schools discontinuing legitimate computer classes because their labs are already overbooked with electronic testing, electronic reporting, electronic delivery, or other activities that require a computer but don’t teach actual computer application skills. These other uses of technology will not help any of your students skillfully produce the presentation, document, or spreadsheet they need for assignments in school or at work, and neither will placing a couple of computers in the back of each classroom for students to play games on or use during free time.
Integrated Tech Education
Students need a legitimate integrated technology education program, not technology for technology’s sake. They need a technology class with a technology instructor and technology lesson plans, and they need specific technology learning objectives in word processing, spreadsheets, multimedia, desktop publishing, database management, and Web page design. We can’t assume students already know how to use these applications, and we can’t continue to push this type of teaching aside simply because the government doesn’t require it or put adequate emphasis on it in their published standards. So continue developing more engaging uses of technology to teach all subjects. But please don’t forget to offer legitimate technology education to our students. They need it.