Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Technology in Education;
Renee Marshall
ETC 567
Abstract
Historically, technology and society are interrelated, where there is a correlation between how
each may affect the changes in the other. These technological changes have been taking place
throughout the course of history. Today, we may consider technology to be relevantly new, but
when we reflect on the past, and see the developments that have occurred over time and changed
the way we live our lives, we can then see that technology has its roots in our past. Our society
uses technology for just about every aspect of daily life. One of the most important aspects
though may be the way that we educate our children. Technology has found its way into the
schools and has dramatically changed the way students learn and participate in their own
learning experiences. Technology has allowed for more people to seek out social and
professional ties, in ways that only a few years ago we never thought possible. Social networks
of all types are helping people come together on many different levels and for numerous reasons,
from support groups to common interests groups. Today, there are a few obstacles in the way of
ensuring that all students have equal access to technological advances in the schools. The main
obstacle is funding for both equipment and staff training, both of which are expensive and ever
changing. Even if schools can afford new technologies, if teachers are not trained and updated,
When we think about technology today, usually is what comes to mind are slim and trim,
shiny objects that either entertain us or somehow improves and enhances our quality of life. The
The historical development of new technology can be usefully viewed as a three- phase
process with a number of intermediate forms. For example, technology may be seen as
having progressed from dependent machines (e.g. bucket elevators), to semi- automatic
machines (e.g. Jacquard loom) and, finally, to automatic machines (e.g. continuous
Recently, there have been theories that express why and how technologies and societies
change over time. There seems to be a debatable correlation between the ways in which these
changes occur. It may be determined that one changes the other. Glancing at The Social
Construction Theory of Technology, we may determine that technology is built upon itself
because of social change, “According to the first tenet, technological development either follows
scientific discoveries—as inventors and engineers apply science—or it follows a logic of its own,
with new inventions deriving directly from previous inventions.” Johnson, n.d., para., 3). The
flip side would be that new technologies change society. “…second tenet of technological
determinism, when technologies are adopted by societies or particular social groups, the adoption
brings about social change and patterns of social behavior. Technological change is said to create
a cultural lag until culture catches up.” (Johnson, n.d. para., 4).
a capability given by the practical application of knowledge. Over the course of last few
hundreds of years, this definition has not changed. Humans, in general, have used their “practical
Technology in Education 4
application of knowledge” (Merriam-Webster, 2008) to change the ways in which we live. This
is true for basically all aspects of life, from the way we create industry to the ways that we raise
In classrooms across America, the landscape has changed dramatically, especially over
the past fifty years or so. Society has used the educational system to the betterment of us all. We
have moved from using slate boards to using various technologies in the classrooms.
“The notion of teaching children about contemporary technology and industry has been a
recurring international theme throughout the history of education.” (Foster, n.d. Introduction
section, para. 2). Advanced technologies have allowed students of all ages to contribute in many
positive ways to their own learning experiences. “Technology has always held great allure as a
teaching aid, especially when problems are identified that are not easily solved by other means.”
In almost every school in America today there is at least some form of newer technology
being used, whether it is in the form of computers and software and the internet, SmartBoards or
various other technologies, such as projectors or televisions. The government has invested many
taxpayers’ dollars into keeping current with technology trends. Probably the most common tech
tool is the computer itself. Many schools have computer labs and specially trained teachers to
ensure proper and wise use of the equipment. Some schools are fortunate enough to have at least
a couple computers right in the classrooms themselves. The students can use the computers for a
variety of uses such as doing research on-line or taking tests for many different subjects like
reading comprehension, spelling and math. SmartBoards are yet another innovative tool for both
teachers and students. These interactive boards allow the users to have hands on experiences in a
Technology in Education 5
variety of subjects. As long as the teacher has been properly trained in the use of these tools, then
the students will benefit greatly by exposure to these and other tech tools that can enhance the
students’ learning experiences. “With the aid of technology, many teachers can take students
beyond traditional classroom limits, creating virtual environments to experiment and explore.”
Social networks have been around for quite sometime. One of the first, Classmates.com,
was started in 1995. Usually, these pioneering social networks charged fees to become a member,
and usually focused on a common bond, say for instance schools or companies. The more recent
social networks are usually those that allow friends and family to be invited to join such as
Facebook.com and MySpace.com. Social networks are used by a variety of people, and for many
different reasons.
A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share
interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of
others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for
users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services. (Social network service,
n.d.).
Not only do people use social network to connect to others for friendship and personal
reasons, many professionals are using social networks as well. Most of the newer social networks
are free of charge. The creators of the networks rely on advertising from businesses to make their
money. Users, in turn, are exposed to the advertisements and may buy advertised products.
Technology in Education 6
Most social networks have guidelines that must be followed such as types of photos that
can and cannot be posted. People are able to report those that do not adhere to the guidelines.
Social networks allow people to be creative in setting up their profiles. “In general, social
networking services allow users to create a profile for themselves, and can be broken down into
two broad categories: internal social networking (ISN) and external social networking (ESN).”
(Social network service, n.d.). MySpace and Facebook would be considered external social
networks because they are publicly available. An internal social network would be one in which
you would have to be affiliated to the network somehow. Common interests and support groups
play an important part in the way our society functions. Social networks such as these help
In the medical field, networks are being used to cross reference physicians and other
medical professionals to ensure safety and quality. Doctors also use networks to consult with one
another and help them to make correct diagnoses. Networks are also used by people that want to
participate in on-line help for substance abuse and varying types of support groups. People
involved in groups such as AA or NA may not otherwise seek out help without the privacy that
Conclusion
This is a very important time to be an educator. There has never before been as many
opportunities as now to enable all children to fully participate in their own education, and thus in
doing so, have meaningful learning experiences that will enhance their lives’ now and in the
future. Teachers will be required to keep up to date on new advances in technology so they can
make informed decisions based on their training. If teachers can show that they embrace
technologies, their students will be more likely to do so also. ‘Knowledgeable and effective
Technology in Education 7
school leaders are extremely important in determining whether technology use will improve
Where technology in the educational system will go from here will be determined by
government agencies at all levels. Without proper funding, schools will not have the abilities to
buy and maintain technological equipment and recurrent training for staff members. With so
many innovative tools that are available and ever changing, it will be difficult for most schools to
Mobile broadband, collaborative Web technologies, and mashups will all significantly
impact education over the next five years, along with "grassroots" video, collective
intelligence, and "social operating systems." This according to a new report released last
week by the New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Initiative, the 2008
Taking advantage of all of the free software programs on the internet may help schools
keep their students somewhat up-to-date. Programs, such as WebQuest, are important learning
tools that can be used for a variety of subjects. There are basically limitless free educational
programs on-line that, with the right teacher training will benefit the next generation of learners.
Teachers, parents and entire communities must ensure that schools are being properly
funded. They should be proactive in finding ways to raise money for new equipment. Some
schools participate in fund raisers to help offset the high cost of new equipment. Grant proposals
are also an excellent way to find resources for purchasing upgraded equipment and new software
programs.
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Change is inevitable, and to ensure that this generation of students will be able to
compete in the global market that we now live in, it is essential that we invest in their futures. As
a society, we need to get our priorities straight and ensure that educational programs are properly
funded. Through the innovative use of technologies, positive social change will occur.
Technology in Education 9
References:
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Foster, P.N., Technology education. Education Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 18, 2008
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webster.com/dictionary/technology
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