1950s and 1960s laid the foundation for the development of more advanced learning systems. Computers were first used in education in the 1960s in a way that was intended to individualize instruction. This method became known as computer assisted instruction. Skinner’s (1954) teaching machines were one of the first forms of computer-based learning.
The goal of (ET) aims to improve education. Technology should facilitate learning processes and increase performance of the educational system(s) as it regards to effectiveness and/or efficiency. The question arises if (ET) has been a success or a failure so far. Like most things in life there are complexities around this topic. In other words, it’s a matter of perspectives and the answers depends on whose perspective.
Stephen Downes, the father of connectivism and MOOC (massive open online courses) drew a difference between what he called personalized learning versus personal learning. The first one is based on the idea that there is someone, somewhere – the Invisible Hand – who defines for you an ideal state you want to attain through education or training. In the second case, you define yourself “a desired state” to reach. Was Stephens response rooted in data, I doubt that, however his perspective or opinion open doors to a new paradigm.
One of the conversations missing from the (ET) is how technology is deeply altering how students learn.
We know that the constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks, according to Pew research center and Common-sense media.
The findings could be viewed from another perspective: that the education system must adjust to better accommodate the way students learn, a point that some teachers brought up in focus groups themselves. We need to have more research and conversations around this perspective to better cater to our students and learners.
References
IATED ( April, 1.2014). Stephen Downes: The MOOC of One: Personal Learning Technologies. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/-HMyC9xLruo
Richtel, M (Nov, 1. 2012). Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/education/technology-is-changing-how-students-learn-teachers-say.html
Russell, M. (2006) Technology and Assessment: The Tale of Two Interpretations, Information Age Publishing (pp. 137-152)
September 8, 2019 at 7:28 am
Hi Tehreem, I share your sentiment on this statement, “that the education system must adjust to better accommodate the way students learn…We need to have more research and conversations around this perspective to better cater to our students and learners.”
More needs to be done to equip students to learn and navigate in the digital age, in which information is constantly in their faces. Digital skills and media literacies are vital in this age. There is also the tendencies to use ET as a means to solve educational issues, such as demand/supply and budget. You may find this article interesting, a book review of Larry Cuban’s Teacher and Machines. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/stable/369036?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
September 8, 2019 at 12:04 pm
sambatavillanueva
Thank you for sharing the resource. I liked the book review by Cuban and find its relevance to our discourse of technological innovation resulting in limited changes in teacher practice. His findings are sobering and still applicable in our modern times.
T.