Week Two: Does Technology Make a Difference? What Difference?

Does technology make a difference in the classroom? Oblinger and Hawkins (2006) poignantly tell the reader, “to get an answer as to whether technology makes a difference, we need to ask: ‘Difference in what’” (p. 14). This rather obvious question struck me as I had never considered asking myself this question. Prior to considering this question, I had simply employed digital technologies with the mindset of using them as an outcome, never considering the broader understandings or implications that they carry. In formulating a response, while perusing a few technology blogs, I happened upon this graphic below which eloquently laid out a more logical and thoughtful mindset to the usage of any technological methods.

http://blog.williamferriter.com/2013/07/11/technology-is-a-tool-not-a-learning-outcome/

Technology has always found a place in education. Zhao, Gaoming, Lei, and Wei (2016) note, “the Deus Ex Machina in education has never appeared” (p. 1). This central premise became the basis of a lively discussion in class. To which our class was asked the question: Which one of the five mistaken approaches to transformative technology in education identified in Never Send a Human to do a Machine’s Job resonates with you the most? I found that erroneous expectations and definitions of educational outcomes used as an effective means by which to raise academic results to be the most resonating mistaken approach. Transformative educational technologies are about providing more meaningful education for all. There is no fast track or cursory options, an educator needs to be open to integrating new technologies in a manner conducive for creating the optimal learning experience for all students at anyone time. This requires work and dedication, not cheap gimmicks and a sycophantic personality. 

http://www.workonthework.org/wtowblog/2014/12/9/deus-ex-machinawhat

Technology can be blended with new and old, providing a wide range of active learning opportunities in a social context, that provide uniquely redesigned activities that go beyond doing the same old song and dance. Unfortunately, educational technologies are often discussed via idealistic rhetoric and hyperbole. As Selwyn (2015) notes, educational technologies are, “infamously infused with language that is opaque, obtuse, and often self-serving” (pp. 1-2). Language is power and politics.

http://www.quotemaster.org/language+power

While reading Selwyn’s (2015) Minding our language: Why education and technology is full of bullshit … and what might be done about it the text introduced the ideas of critical pedagogy theorist Henry Giroux (p. 4). Giroux discusses how language is used as a tool of manipulation in contemporary neoliberal frameworks. (As an aside: In my previous post I had discussed issues of neoliberalism as related to critical digital pedagogy and now here is a theorist who succinctly elaborates on these concepts.) “Giroux talks of how citizens are continually compelled to overlook and ignore the complex historical, political and moral contexts of the current events in their lives. Instead, dominant interests propagate a lazy preference for jocular, superficial and generally vacuous talk throughout popular, professional and even academic discourse” (Selwyn, 2015, p. 4). Giroux identifies this as public stupidity, which is sustain by language devoid of ethics and social responsibility that deems critical speech as dangerous and untrustworthy. In this regard, digital technology can be a powerfully corrupt and dangerous medium but through proper education and application of critical pedagogy, digital technology can be a transformative experience. The explanations and social theories offered by Giroux offer a fascinating basis for conducting further research and one avenue that I will surely explore. Do you find language able to carry this much influence? Giroux greatly expands on the concepts of neoliberalism and critical pedagogy and offers insightful commentary and discussion in the videos below:

A rather poignant Taft Talk led by Henry Giroux:

Henry Giroux: Where is the Outrage? Critical Pedagogy in Dark Times

Finding Joy Amidst Fascism & Violence | Russell Brand, Henry Giroux & Brad Evans

Check out Henry Giroux’s website here.

Sources

Giroux, H. 2014. The Violence of Organized Forgetting: Thinking Beyond America’s Disimagination Machine. San Francisco, CA: City Lights. 
Oblinger, D.G., & Hawkins, D.L. (2006). The myth about no significant difference. Educause Review, 41(6), 14-15.

Selwyn, N. (2015). Minding our language: Why education and technology is full of bullshit … and what might be done about it. Learning, Media and Technology, 1-7. doi:10.1080/17439884.2015.1012523

Zhao, Y., Gaoming, Z., Lei, J., & Wei, Q., (2016). Never send a human to do a machine’s job: Correcting the top 5 edtech mistakes. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. ( Introduction & Chapter 1, pp 1-31)