Is technology the problem with education, or is school just that boring?

http://blog.coreknowledge.org/

In Growing Up Gadgety, by Robert Pondiscio, technology is the problem with education. Rather, the new generations' minds, which are geared towards technology, are the problem. Students spend many hours a day sitting in front of the newest technologies, where they give mass amounts of energy to the newest video game or Iphone application. It's no wonder that students do not want to listen to teachers drag on about long division or rock formations. Pondiscio suggests that the new generation of students' minds are geared differently than those of the previous generation. Studies have proven that the minds of students nowadays are trained to skip from one task to another within seconds, like in video games, rather than focus on one thing (a lecture) for longer periods of time. Also, the article addresses the notion that because students are constantly stimulated by something, our students' minds are not getting the rest they need, and therefore are not as able to perform. The educational movement as of right now, is barely starting to move towards a more technologically engaging curriculum, in order to hopefully cater to students' interests.

In class, we have talked about the technological movement that is going on right now. More students are taking classes online for that simple fact that it is easier, and they are more able to sit in front of a computer, than sit in front of a teacher. Also, the movie that the class watched, that had the animated lecture talked about technology in education as well. The movie also had the idea that it is no wonder our students are not interested in school; they have much more interesting and advanced things going on at home. Education for the simple pleasure of feeling educated no longer sparks the minds of students. Children are much more likely to feel good about passing a level on a video game, than passing a test. Why? Because the video game is more stimulating. Students today are able to multi-task because in video games and t.v. shoes the screens and scenes are always changing. In classes many times, students sit in one chair and look at one chalkboard for most of the day. And we wonder why students are disengaged?

I agree with the idea of the article. I agree that students are much different than they were decades ago. With every couple of years comes new fads, activities and interests for the students. Teachers need to be aware of these changes, and tailor the curriculum to the students' needs. I agree that many students sit in class very bored everyday, because whatever technological toy they have at home is much more interesting to them. However, I believe that too much technology can be hurtful in a classroom. I believe that much of education is learning how to be a socially literate being. A student who takes all online classes, listens to webinars, and never works on any person-to-person group projects is losing a lot of what education should be about. In the real world, people need to be able to interact in order to obtain a job, or progress through life. A virtual educational experience lacks personal interactions. I do agree with the article though, that the minds of students are geared much differently. Teachers need to learn how to have multiple activities during one class period, have students move around, and present multiple opportunities for them, so that the students' minds can keep switching tasks, without checking out of the lecture or activity. Overall I believe the article brings up a good point, and a point that all teachers need to recognize. On the other hand, I hope that teachers will not take the information in the wrong way, and bring technology into the classroom too much; there needs to be a balance.