Technology is becoming increasingly interactive and distributed, at rapidly declining cost, the means to participate in incredibly complex networks of information, resources, and instruction. Electronic tools have given us an immense array of text, video, sound, and communication resources The primary issue facing these educators, Just what is the most effective way to understand and use these tools?
Schofield and Davidson have noted that "The literature on school is filled with depictions of teachers’ ambivalent, cautious, even resistant responses to proposed reforms-whether pedagogical or technical". Cunningham and Bonk noted that “Educational leaders need reassurance and guidance that as the formats for electronic collaboration proliferate, these will enhance interaction and positively reorganize the learning process".A barrier to this as Cunningham and Bonk noted there is a “lack of pedagogical guidance about integrating (electronic tools)which leads to dilemmas and confusion”.
According to Langwitches Blog, the teachers are not the only people to be confused about the benefits of Etools. Langwitches remarks "How can we educate parents and administrators that blogging, podcasting and skyping, etc. are simply a vehicle to preparing students for many skills and literacy's, including the 3Rs they are accustomed to and familiar with?"
It is important for all the stakeholders to understand that Etools are simply tools, they way in which they are used is what is the most important. It is the difference between a child watching a soap opera on television compared with a documentary, it is the same tool, but vastly different outcomes can occur.
References
Cunningham,D.,& Bonk, C.(1998).Searching for Learner-Centered, Constructivist, and Sociocultural Components of Collaborative Educational Learning Tools. NJ, USA. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
Schofield, J.& Davidson, A. (2002) Bringing the Internet to School. CA, USA. Jossey-Bass.
Langwitches Blog,(2010). It’s Not About the Tools. It’s About the Skills. Retrieved August 22nd 2010 from: http://langwitches.org/blog/2010/01/09/its-not-about-the-tools-its-about-the-skills/
Schofield and Davidson have noted that "The literature on school is filled with depictions of teachers’ ambivalent, cautious, even resistant responses to proposed reforms-whether pedagogical or technical". Cunningham and Bonk noted that “Educational leaders need reassurance and guidance that as the formats for electronic collaboration proliferate, these will enhance interaction and positively reorganize the learning process".A barrier to this as Cunningham and Bonk noted there is a “lack of pedagogical guidance about integrating (electronic tools)which leads to dilemmas and confusion”.
According to Langwitches Blog, the teachers are not the only people to be confused about the benefits of Etools. Langwitches remarks "How can we educate parents and administrators that blogging, podcasting and skyping, etc. are simply a vehicle to preparing students for many skills and literacy's, including the 3Rs they are accustomed to and familiar with?"
It is important for all the stakeholders to understand that Etools are simply tools, they way in which they are used is what is the most important. It is the difference between a child watching a soap opera on television compared with a documentary, it is the same tool, but vastly different outcomes can occur.
References
Cunningham,D.,& Bonk, C.(1998).Searching for Learner-Centered, Constructivist, and Sociocultural Components of Collaborative Educational Learning Tools. NJ, USA. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
Schofield, J.& Davidson, A. (2002) Bringing the Internet to School. CA, USA. Jossey-Bass.
Langwitches Blog,(2010). It’s Not About the Tools. It’s About the Skills. Retrieved August 22nd 2010 from: http://langwitches.org/blog/2010/01/09/its-not-about-the-tools-its-about-the-skills/
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