No duh…Technology changes how students learn

I saw the following article in the NYT: “Technology Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say” (NYT, November 1, 2012), and all I can say is “duh”. Of course it does, that’s obvious.

“There is a widespread belief among teachers that students’ constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans”

Well obviously. If you’ve spent time around anyone under the age of 60, you’ve probably noticed that thanks to the proliferation of technology, a lot of people can’t seem to go two minutes without playing with their electronic toys. Adults are not immune, one can hardly expect teenagers to have escaped this phenomenon.

“What’s going to happen when they don’t have constant entertainment?”

This is why I’m still rather skeptical of the push for more technology based curriculum. It’s almost like you’re building in the expectation that learning has to be flashy, fun, and entertaining all the time, or it’s not worth pursuing. Don’t get me wrong, I like fun, and I do think learning can and maybe should be enjoyable much of the time. But let’s face it, not everything that students need to know and learn can or should be as fun as messing about with various game apps on smart phones. And there will always be a need for tasks that call for sustained attention, and focus in learning. These two skills are especially at risk when your expectations are shaped by constant immersion in the instant gratification environment that’s cultivated by constant exposure to technology.

“The education system must adjust to better accommodate the way students learn.”

On one hand, I’m inclined to agree—if you teach one way, and students learn another way, you’re not likely to get much learning, are you? On the other hand, how much “catering” are teachers really expected to do? I think of it, the way I do instructional accommodations: if it has instructional merit, meets my instructional goals, and actually facilitates learning, I’m willing to give it a go, but I’ll admit that I’m not entirely convinced that new=better, and tend to wait out the fads to see what has staying power and merit. All technology has it’s upsides and downsides, and figuring out what’s relevant, useful, and likely to be around long enough is a challenge.

“About 60 percent [of teachers surveyed] said [technology] hindered students’ ability to write and communicate face to face, and almost half said it hurt critical thinking and their ability to do homework. There was little difference in how younger and older teachers perceived the impact of technology.”

In some ways it does seem to inhibit writing, while ironically encouraging it as well. Computers make the task of writing deceptively easy. It’s easier to get the words out (once you know how to type—after all, I’m cranking out this post as we speak), but conventions seem to get lost in the shuffle. The influence of texting on writing is a notorious example of what I’m talking about.

The critical thinking piece is another problem. When it comes to information found on the internet, people are surprisingly gullible (hence the persistence of spammy chain letters), and kids are especially inclined to believe anything they see on the internet. Using iffy information in research papers and taking everything they see on a website at face value, makes it hard for kids to consider the importance of verifying the accuracy of what they see, and forming reasoned opinions about it…much less in writing.

“Technology Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say” (Nancy Palmieri, Matt Richtel, The New York Times, November 1, 2012)