My name is Samantha Moorhead and I am a middle level education major at USC. This is my Inquiry Project for EDPY 401. The original video is an educational video by Karl Fisch discussing the shift towards technology in jobs and classrooms. It brings up the point that skills we learn today are quickly becoming out dated. The second video is my response to the original video. I agree that technolgy is important but not how it is being implicated in the classrooms. At the bottom of the page, is my detailed analysis and discussion of the video "Did You Know". Enjoy!

 This video is called "Did You Know"

My Response

As a future educator, I have noticed some unsettling trends in myself and those surrounding me. There seems to be a general disgust for school no matter the age. When I talk to my friends about school and classes all I hear are harsh words about teachers, course loads, and copious amounts of homework but mention technology and you are in for a thirty minute discussion about their newest toy. There seems to be this reverence that comes with technology like it is the “cure all” for all problems. When students are not engaged during class it is common to turn to tools such as Smartboards.  They are attractive as a instrument because it makes the teacher seem “cool” and students seem ecstatic to learn.  Sadly, this has become a fall back for many teachers when students are no longer motivated the excuse is that it is because there is not enough technology in the classroom. It seems that many schools are now pushing the use of technology in classrooms, which can be a great asset if students have not forgotten how to think for themselves. However, the trend I have noticed most is that we are requiring students to use websites for research and technology for almost every project.  So, you might wonder where is the problem with that?  If you give that same student a book and tell them to find the important information they often cannot and sometimes will struggle until they give up entirely. Websites like Google, Spark Notes, and Wikipedia are handing the information to our students with the click of a mouse. No research, no searching, no analysis required if you want a paper on Wuthering Heights students can find plot summaries, themes, and analysis all in ten minutes. They do not even have to think about it. Technology is quickly becoming the focus of every classroom forcing teaching and thinking critically to take the backseat.

                Recent discussions with professors and my peers have brought the issue of technology into an area of importance for me.  It has become obvious that there are varying ideas on the purpose of technological education tools and in efforts to best suite students. This should be discussed.   I strongly believe that it is the content of the information that should be the focus and reason for using technology in schools but others may feel differently.  Many take the point of view that it using technology in classrooms is important because it teaches students how to obtain information from reliable sources and allows them to do the rest. It is this focus on the process rather than the content that concerns me.

Where does the video come in to this? The original video is stressing the global shift towards technology in jobs and classrooms. The suggestions that it is time to embrace the future and go with the changes are something that I cannot help but disagree with. Should technology be used in classrooms, yes but only to assist the teacher, not to do the teaching. When were books and teachers replaced by the internet? When did in class discussions turn into wiki blogs? What do the theorists say about learning?

 Vygotsky, a famous learning theorist, came up with two major theories Zone of Proximal Development and Cognitive Apprenticeship. His Zone of Proximal Development theory states that a child can accomplish more difficult tasks with the help of a more advanced individual. Both his main ideas center around the concept that students learn best through direct interaction with an educator.  This is best displayed through his explanations of scaffolding, modeling and coaching.  Considering Vygotsky’s theories, one would have to support my opinion that technology takes away from students by intervening in this important process of interactive learning.  Using technology allows them to simply focus on the facts and leaves no room for questions and complex conversations that facilitate interest and thorough understanding.

Another concept in support of my claims involves the theories of motivation.  It has been suggested that technologies relevance to students lives encourages motivation but I propose a different view. One might suggest that interest in technology motivates students by allowing them to use technological tools as a vessel in their learning experience but I believe that the teacher has the ability to motivate students through their teaching style alone.  If they cannot do so then the student will continue to struggle with motivation whether technology is involved or not.

            In conclusion, I believe that it is the teacher's job to educate their students not technologies. My beliefs are supported through Vygotsky theories and motivational theories. I hope that through my paper I highlight the importance of student teacher interaction in the development and education of our students. If we leave the education of our students up to technology then I fear for the future of students.

Works Citied

Psychology: Developing Learners 5th Edition.  New Jersey, Ohio: Pearson/ Merrill Prentice 1.  Ormrod, Jeanne.  2006.  Educational Hall.