BLOG 2- Teachers vs. Technology: A love hate relationship

February 12, 2009 cindymendes
Tags: curriculum, danger, media, teachers, technology

With the creation and expansion of the media, current traditional curriculum has been under great scrutiny and has been forced to quickly adapt to change. From inventions like the radio, television and computers to the vast Internet, schools have been forced to change their pedagogy. Technological advancements and media convergence are occurring at such a drastic rate that teachers are currently in a do or die situation- adapt or fade away. The love/hate relationship between teachers and technology has been heightened by the pressure to follow the newest trends, where students often have a deeper knowledge of the current technology than teachers themselves. The media also comes at a substantial cost to the education system, leaving teachers and administrators strongly relying on traditional pedagogy rather than focusing on the newer forms of educational resources.

There are several advantages of using technology in the classroom. The internet has provided a great medium for classroom discussion, through the use of discussion boards like Blackboard, Webct and Moodle to programs like powerpoint, iMovie and SuperCard. Discussion boards can be controlled by the teacher, and provide an open forum for students to discuss the topics taught in the classroom. This can, however, put a pressure on students to emphasize the quantity of posts, rather than the quality. This dilemma can be mended simply by teachers highlighting what they want and expect from the students. This allows learning to now occur through various mediums, adapting to each student’s learning styles.

Technology can also prove to be very difficult to control, creating various opportunities to cheat and plagiarize. The ease at which students can purchase pre written reports is astounding, and it is incredibly difficult for a teacher to monitor all documents written on the internet to verify whether or not the text is really the students’ own words. It also can be used to access social networking sites by students instead of using it for educational purposes.

The use of the media has also created several issues for school administrators. The internet is an entirely different world which can contain several tools either aid or thwart educational instructors. The internet is a gateway for dangers such as pedophiles, porn, and bullying. It creates an anonymous medium that provides unscrupulous individuals with power.

I personally believe that technology can be a useful and practical tool that can work to both students’ and teachers’ advantage, if used properly. I think that the benefits of technology far outweigh the damages it may cause. There are also several ways in which administrators and teachers can minimize the disadvantages of the internet. First, it is very easy to block and limit which internet sites can be publically accessed inside schools. Also, there are various programs that have been created that help teachers identify plagiarism. Teachers should not only be teaching their students traditional curriculum, but also teach them about ethics, promoting honest and honorable work.

Any invention can be used for good or bad. Intelligence, especially when it produces something great, can have strong implications and effects that individuals cannot even begin to consider. The most crucial thing for educators to do is not to attempt to prevent change, but to adapt with it. Technology can be used to help educators, to further their message and reach more students. Traditional forms of teaching have not always met the standards of various learning styles, so the use of technology may be able to repair that gap.

Entry Filed under: Technology Benefits and Dangers

2 Comments Add your own

• 1. Nicole  |  February 23, 2009 at 4:22 pm

  good job.
  i agree completely.

• 2. Melissa  |  March 1, 2009 at 8:20 pm

  I think that sometimes teachers are placed in a sort of predicament, because I agree, we are in an age where the students are more technologically advanced than the teachers. But I have also personally seen an effort on by the teachers to try to understand this new media age.

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