There seems to be the ago old argument of what practices are best for educating children. The flip-flop argument is that you don’t need technology, that a talented teacher in the classroom is all that it takes for students to advance, vs technology is necessary for tomorrow’s students to compete in a world not yet known to us. Lets take the side of this argument that technology is not needed. In fall 2016, about 50.4 million students attended the public elementary and secondary schools. Of these, 35.4 million were in prekindergarten through grade 8 and 15.0 million were in grades 9 through 12. An additional 5.2 million students attended private elementary and secondary schools (source) (NCES, 2016). Where are the talented teachers with the natural gift to teach all types of students going to come from to teach 50 million students? Since America is not at the forefront of the global race to be first in the field of education, I think that it will be safe to say that there are not enough of these high caliber teachers in the US, or least they are not working in the field of education. This fact helps the alternative argument, that computers are needed. Its clear, that technology is needed to make up for the shortfall of exceptional teachers. But the lack of exceptional teachers is not the biggest argument for technology. The most significant argument is that technology is needed in the classroom is that our tomorrow will be a world of technology and people need to know how to use technology. Tabling the argument that technology is needed, lets hop back over the fence to the side that technology isn’t a factor in learning. If this is true, we have surely wasted the last 50 years or more with the going to the moon and personal computer gibberish. Corporations have made a mint, well billions in Bill Gates case, only to establish a poor class, a meager middle class, and a rich as hell upper class. Half the world’s wealth is held by eight people, (Reuters, 2017). Could it be that all this technology is a way to make money, just business? People still die; get sick; come out of school with a degree, but not much more than that until they are hired; and we still require the same basic needs for survival; substance and water, even with all the advancements fostered by advanced technology. If we look at the situation in terms of advancement, of course technology is important. It is fun to play with and create, and it keeps us busy. People are curious and we get bored easily. We need something to do.
The truth, in my opinion, is that neither argument is accurate, because neither side argues the only important perspective which is that man has done nothing, or created anything, that matters, with the exception of the possibility to expand our inhabitants among the stars. So it doesn't mater which side of the argument you take because we are just having fun doing stuff, advanced or trivial.
This blog pokes fun of our indecisiveness regarding the best approach we should use to educate students. We change frequently, looking for the silver bullet that will solve our educational problems. One almost wonders if there is a best practice with just 33% of all students graduating from college. All the professionals give their advice, but the truth is that by design education and opportunity is dangled in front of many students as an untouchable fruit. I hope there is a best practice. I hope we discover it. We have to, because I am looking forward to the next already created invention.
