Week 1 Reading Reflection

I’m torn about Postman’s statement that new technologies don’t increase people’s options but rather decrease them. The examples stated do prove that but, without all the information that is available through these new technologies you wouldn’t have as many choices in deciding what to get your masters degree in, where to go on vacation, what books are similar to the last one you loved. I’d love to sail across the Atlantic but, how many people have the time and/or money to do so? A flight is so much more convenient for most people. I never would have been able to choose, much less find out about, the Educational Technology online masters program at WMU without the Internet.

If I wasn’t teaching at my urban public charter school I’m not sure that I’d agree as much as I do with Postman’s statement that “school is to teach children how to behave in groups”. Every day I am refereeing between fourth and fifth graders who are ready to punch someone who said something about their mama. Their parents tell them that if someone says something about them, or their family, that they have to defend themselves. I ask them, “Is it true? Do they know your mama? Brother? Sister?” It doesn’t matter. They have been in school for four or five years yet they still don’t know how to behave in a group setting that requires them to think for themselves or get along with others. Most of them have not heard the narratives that we heard growing up. If they have, they surely don’t believe them. Why should they? They don’t have proof that there is a way out or up from where they are.


I would love to have students on a standards-based, criterion-referenced teaching model. I think it would be difficult at first, for both teacher and students, to adjust. Having relevant technologies available would be key to make it work. Not every device would work for every subject or class. I agree with Joseph that teachers should not rely solely on technology to become more standards-based. I already use peer-assisted and collaborative learning as much as I can. I attempt mastery learning.

A friend of mine taught German via live video feed to students who lived in a small town. The district couldn’t afford to have a German teacher for a handful of students but, they were able to share in the cost of receiving video lessons (along with a few other districts) to provide those students with the opportunity to learn what they wanted. To make it cost effective, this district also used the live video feed for other subjects too. It only lasted one year, most students were bored or didn’t do well, nothing against my friend but, there weren’t any additional technologies or assistance available to the students.