Is technology going to be the downfall of education as we know it as the ultimate distraction or will it save us precious time and prepare students for real world experiences?  This is currently a topic of much heated debate in the institution of education and this was no exception within our EC&I 830 class. We were saved from the evil technology monster or is it swallowing us whole?

Dustin valiantly argued that technology was having a negative impact on the classroom environment and detrimental to student learning.  Specifically, how it is distracting and lowering student academic performance.  Personally, in my 20+ years of teaching, I have noticed a discernable reduction in my student’s attention span, which I do attribute to the technological interventions. However, I also know that even news articles are specifically designed to be a shorter format (and have been shortening for years) because it is well-known that the human attention span is diminishing rapidly. Dr. Gloria Mark, a psychologist who specializes in studying the influence of technology on everyday life indicates in her podcast that the accelerated increase of devices in our lives leads to our attention spans decreasing at a rapid rate. This is something I frustratingly refer to as a goldfish memory.

 

I have also noticed with increased screentime comes an obvious and blatantly noticeable lack of creativity in students and their sense of imagination seems to be woefully disappearing. The other shocking experience I have noticed with my students is their sense of independence and ability to be self-motivated is also fally by the wayside. Are these due to an increase of more time-consuming technology? Probably. Can we do anything about it? Nope. Technology is here to stay and some would argue that the solution is even more technology!

On the other side of the great technology debate, Leanne and Jenni argued technology is helping to increase interactions between teachers, students, and the student’s peer communities. They also stated technology provides the ability to adapt and support personalized learning in the classroom setting. Finally, the discussed how technology helps students adapt to the real world work force and societal expectations. While I agree with some of their points, I feel that there are some much more tangible examples of how technology is necessary in the classroom.

 

As I mentioned in class, individuals with special needs are often a forgot student body that frequently rely on technology to communicate. Gone are the days of nonverbal students being forced to utilize communication boards and PECS to only become frustrated when their communication is not understood. Also, for those individuals that can not hold a pencil with ease, there are numerous voice-to-text programs that allow them to complete their work without being left behind. Even neurodiverse individuals that struggle to focus or put their words onto paper can learn and express themselves through technology.  These are vitally important and the difference between communicating and learning or a complete lack of integration in the classroom. Even simple tools like digital timers or noise decibel readers allow those that struggle with self-regulation and sensory issues can suddenly experience an awareness of how much longer is in each class and the necessary and much needed auditory support.

In the end, was there concensus on this debate? After reading their supporting documentation and experiencing the debate in class, I think the answer is clear. Technology is an integral component of our society and, as such, we need to learn how to support both teachers and students in how to safely navigate its depths. It is vital to have technology both in the assisted sphere and blended into teaching to ensure success. We need to examine the growing use of technology in education in a positive light and look at how inherently helpful it truly can be.