Palmquist's argument is simple: technology is not a magic bullet, nor is it likely to manifest itself as one. Despite its general simplicity, his argument is actually quite nuanced in that technology is more than a useful tool or aid. New technology can help us revolutionize the way we educate and teach content. Conceptually, this ties in perfectly with TPACK. It seems reasonable that school systems, generally, and teachers, specifically, would improve the learning experience for students by taking such an approach. However, that is probably easier said than done.
Mr. Palmquist brings up many valid points. Growing up with a mother who works in the school system, I've spent many hours helping her figure out the technology necessary for her to access important programs to help her students. I agree that technology must be embraced in the classroom, but I think we must provide teachers with more technological training to ensure their comfort level can also benefit their students. While it's great that teaching programs are now including technology classes in the curriculum, we can't forget about the teachers now that have not had this training and need to be brought up to the same knowledge level.
I really appreciate Palmquist’s argument that technology should be used as a tool to further enhance learning and not just to replace more traditional methods of instruction. Based on several of my experiences in secondary school, I assume that it is often the case that many instructors either embrace the use of technology whenever possible or simply do not use it very much at all. It seems that in order to achieve this useful partnership between technology and the classroom there is a real need for more educators to participate in “technology education” programs. This way, instructors may better understand how to approach instruction as a joint venture between traditional methods and more modern, technological ones. Also, increased technological education could help instructors understand how to best use the technology available to them and their students, even if such technology is not as abundant or advanced as compared to other populations.
Palmquist's argument seems to be that teachers should be taught the most efficient ways to use technology in the classroom. The majority of problems encountered with technology seem to arise when educators either don't know how to use it properly or they use it too much. If teachers were instructed in the use of technology, they would be able to create new opportunities for their students such as essays in the form of "images, audio and video." Based on my experience with both elementary aged students and high schoolers, teaching educators to use technology efficiently would be a great advantage in the classroom.
Mishra and Koehler suggest that teachers familiar with the TPCK framework, who are capable of integrating technology in the classroom with consideration of students' learning needs and creation of content-based learning activities , possess a sort of expertise greater than an expert in their discipline, in the use of technology, or in pedagogy and instruction alone. It is this conscientious implementation of technology that Palmquist advocates. Palmquist acknowledges the need to establish goals before determining how best to accomplish them as well, yet he points out that technology is more than just a tool. Technology can change the way we work, pointing us towards new goals. One of Curry's themes is 21st century learning; yet, in light of this, we must consider the implications of our increasing use of technology for students who have limited access to computers or the internet or who may have never seen a keyboard before starting school. The closing words of Palmquist's article urge us to study technology carefully, "consider its implications fully, design out courses with those implications in mind, and use it as wisely as we can." As we work to adapt available technology to our instruction, we must not forget the ways that technology itself is adapting the way we work and our expectations for students in order to help keep technology a tool to enhance the learning of all students rather than a source of division.
I couldn't agree more with Palmquist and his notion of technology and its place in the ever-evolving modern classroom. Although technology has become one of the most useful tools and resources, it is important to understand the difference between teaching with technology and having technology dominate teaching. Technology is not just a great resource, but can also be a crutch for a generation of students becoming increasingly dependent on it. Balancing the new generation of students and their dependence on technology is an integral asset for an instructor in the modern era.
Mike Palmquist presents a solid argument supporting the use of technology in the classroom by addressing problems, such as crashing computers and dwindling budgets, while highlighting the advantages that technology can provide. One advantage that he mentions is the new availability of resources for written projects like research papers, but Palmquist does not mention the validity (or lack thereof) of such sources. For the length and purpose of his commentary, Palmquist makes very strong points, but I think that we can use his piece as a starting point to discuss many other advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom.
TPACK is very interesting because professors have told me that teaching requires more than content knowledge (in reference to pedagogical knowledge) but I had not considered the importance of technological knowledge in the equation. Is technology an equally important factor in being a successful or effective teacher?
In this article, author and teacher Mike Palmquist addresses the current dilemma with education and technology. While he does not take an extreme stance or bring up any radical ideas, he still succeeds in stressing his point. Palmquist emphasizes that the key to a successful relationship between education and technology is a balance between the two. A completely technology-dependent course can be detrimental to the students, while a certain amount of technology can prove to be extremely beneficial to the effectiveness of the course. It is our job as future teachers to find that balance and provide the best possible learning atmospheres that we may for our students.
I found the Palmquist article to be very interesting because it brought to light an issue that I did not know existed. I knew that some educators felt that technology was a hinderance to the learning process but I was surprised to find out that some educators thought that technology would cure all of the ills of teaching/learning. His overall point that technology is a "fact of life" that we must learn to understand and teach others to understand was well received by me.
The TPCK Wiki was informative. At first, I found it somewhat difficult to understand exactly what TPCK was and it's importance but after reading the wiki I began to see how pedagogy, content, and technology were intertwined and the importance of having a solid grasp on all three. I would like to further my understanding of TPACK.
As with most things in life, the principle of "moderation in all things" applies to educational technology as well. I agree with Palmquist that technology properly used in the classroom has the power to broaden and deepen students' learning experience; while technology poorly used can quickly kill a lesson or exploration that could have otherwise been great. It's important for teachers at all levels of education to embrace the possibilities of technology, and simultaneously learn how to appropriately wield that potential to the greatest effect.
I think it is very important to recognize technology’s place in the classroom; however, teachers must also keep in mind that it is not a substitute to great lesson plans, but merely a tool. Technology is a great way for teachers to keep lessons fun and entertaining and at the same time technology can help to implant information in the student’s memory. Teachers will find that learning about technology is worth their time when they realize how it can change the entire learning experience for their students.
Palmquist's argument is simple: technology is not a magic bullet, nor is it likely to manifest itself as one. Despite its general simplicity, his argument is actually quite nuanced in that technology is more than a useful tool or aid. New technology can help us revolutionize the way we educate and teach content. Conceptually, this ties in perfectly with TPACK. It seems reasonable that school systems, generally, and teachers, specifically, would improve the learning experience for students by taking such an approach. However, that is probably easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteMr. Palmquist brings up many valid points. Growing up with a mother who works in the school system, I've spent many hours helping her figure out the technology necessary for her to access important programs to help her students. I agree that technology must be embraced in the classroom, but I think we must provide teachers with more technological training to ensure their comfort level can also benefit their students. While it's great that teaching programs are now including technology classes in the curriculum, we can't forget about the teachers now that have not had this training and need to be brought up to the same knowledge level.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate Palmquist’s argument that technology should be used as a tool to further enhance learning and not just to replace more traditional methods of instruction. Based on several of my experiences in secondary school, I assume that it is often the case that many instructors either embrace the use of technology whenever possible or simply do not use it very much at all. It seems that in order to achieve this useful partnership between technology and the classroom there is a real need for more educators to participate in “technology education” programs. This way, instructors may better understand how to approach instruction as a joint venture between traditional methods and more modern, technological ones. Also, increased technological education could help instructors understand how to best use the technology available to them and their students, even if such technology is not as abundant or advanced as compared to other populations.
ReplyDeletePalmquist's argument seems to be that teachers should be taught the most efficient ways to use technology in the classroom. The majority of problems encountered with technology seem to arise when educators either don't know how to use it properly or they use it too much. If teachers were instructed in the use of technology, they would be able to create new opportunities for their students such as essays in the form of "images, audio and video." Based on my experience with both elementary aged students and high schoolers, teaching educators to use technology efficiently would be a great advantage in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteMishra and Koehler suggest that teachers familiar with the TPCK framework, who are capable of integrating technology in the classroom with consideration of students' learning needs and creation of content-based learning activities , possess a sort of expertise greater than an expert in their discipline, in the use of technology, or in pedagogy and instruction alone. It is this conscientious implementation of technology that Palmquist advocates. Palmquist acknowledges the need to establish goals before determining how best to accomplish them as well, yet he points out that technology is more than just a tool. Technology can change the way we work, pointing us towards new goals. One of Curry's themes is 21st century learning; yet, in light of this, we must consider the implications of our increasing use of technology for students who have limited access to computers or the internet or who may have never seen a keyboard before starting school. The closing words of Palmquist's article urge us to study technology carefully, "consider its implications fully, design out courses with those implications in mind, and use it as wisely as we can." As we work to adapt available technology to our instruction, we must not forget the ways that technology itself is adapting the way we work and our expectations for students in order to help keep technology a tool to enhance the learning of all students rather than a source of division.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with Palmquist and his notion of technology and its place in the ever-evolving modern classroom. Although technology has become one of the most useful tools and resources, it is important to understand the difference between teaching with technology and having technology dominate teaching. Technology is not just a great resource, but can also be a crutch for a generation of students becoming increasingly dependent on it. Balancing the new generation of students and their dependence on technology is an integral asset for an instructor in the modern era.
ReplyDeleteMike Palmquist presents a solid argument supporting the use of technology in the classroom by addressing problems, such as crashing computers and dwindling budgets, while highlighting the advantages that technology can provide. One advantage that he mentions is the new availability of resources for written projects like research papers, but Palmquist does not mention the validity (or lack thereof) of such sources. For the length and purpose of his commentary, Palmquist makes very strong points, but I think that we can use his piece as a starting point to discuss many other advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteTPACK is very interesting because professors have told me that teaching requires more than content knowledge (in reference to pedagogical knowledge) but I had not considered the importance of technological knowledge in the equation. Is technology an equally important factor in being a successful or effective teacher?
In this article, author and teacher Mike Palmquist addresses the current dilemma with education and technology. While he does not take an extreme stance or bring up any radical ideas, he still succeeds in stressing his point. Palmquist emphasizes that the key to a successful relationship between education and technology is a balance between the two. A completely technology-dependent course can be detrimental to the students, while a certain amount of technology can prove to be extremely beneficial to the effectiveness of the course. It is our job as future teachers to find that balance and provide the best possible learning atmospheres that we may for our students.
ReplyDeleteI found the Palmquist article to be very interesting because it brought to light an issue that I did not know existed. I knew that some educators felt that technology was a hinderance to the learning process but I was surprised to find out that some educators thought that technology would cure all of the ills of teaching/learning. His overall point that technology is a "fact of life" that we must learn to understand and teach others to understand was well received by me.
ReplyDeleteThe TPCK Wiki was informative. At first, I found it somewhat difficult to understand exactly what TPCK was and it's importance but after reading the wiki I began to see how pedagogy, content, and technology were intertwined and the importance of having a solid grasp on all three. I would like to further my understanding of TPACK.
As with most things in life, the principle of "moderation in all things" applies to educational technology as well. I agree with Palmquist that technology properly used in the classroom has the power to broaden and deepen students' learning experience; while technology poorly used can quickly kill a lesson or exploration that could have otherwise been great. It's important for teachers at all levels of education to embrace the possibilities of technology, and simultaneously learn how to appropriately wield that potential to the greatest effect.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to recognize technology’s place in the classroom; however, teachers must also keep in mind that it is not a substitute to great lesson plans, but merely a tool. Technology is a great way for teachers to keep lessons fun and entertaining and at the same time technology can help to implant information in the student’s memory. Teachers will find that learning about technology is worth their time when they realize how it can change the entire learning experience for their students.
ReplyDelete