ETC 567 Scholarly Paper

Scholarly Writing Assignment

Jennifer Leonardi
Northern Arizona University
ETC 567
September 25, 2006

















Abstract

Technology use is a growing area in the field of education. Teachers need to ensure that students are being prepared for the outside world and learning to utilize technology for problem solving. Teachers need to work with communities and parents to ensure that students understand not only how to use technology but how to stay safe in the information age.
























Technology is an ever-present means of communication, learning and research. The foundations are routed in early man with the development of fire and the wheel. Often times we think of technology only as those things we can plug in and forget that technology is the development of any new tool or resource by a society. Technology will continue to grow, as we become a more advanced and productive society.

Social, Historical and Educational Foundations of Technology

Technology is an important aspect of our society. As developments are made our society becomes further advanced and is able to compete with outside sources and other societies. The goal of technology is to meet the needs and wants of the society. As a society progresses, the demands for new and improved technologies becomes greater. Technology is passed from generation to generation with each new generation making adaptations for the world around them. As the world changes so does our need for advancement.

Due to the need for constant change and adaptation we must ensure that each new generation is taught the understandings of our current technology. According to Teresa Hall, a professor at the University of Northern Iowa, “Because of the "nature of the beast" -- that is, continuous advancements in technology -- we have an obligation to provide all students with a fundamental understanding of what technology is, how it is used, and how it may affect their future. The incorporation of technology in the classroom requires more than using computer-assisted instruction. It also requires that the student develop an appreciation for technological concepts and an understanding of what technology is as a discipline.” Hall refers to this understanding as Technological Literacy. Wikipedia defines this term as “the ability to understand and evaluate technology.” Wikipedia sites William Wulf for clarifying the terminolgy by stating, “There is a major difference between technological competence and technological literacy. Literacy is what everyone needs. Competence is what a few people need in order to do a job or make a living. And we need both.” Thus concluding that while all students do not need to be competent in all aspects of technology they should have a broad understanding of the implications and impacts. To ensure this technological literacy, teachers need to be exposing students to technology and ensuring that undestanding is taking place.

Both Patrick Foster, author of Technology in the Standards of Other School Subjects, and Dale Hanson, author of Six Concepts to Help You Align with NCLB, feel that technology is being put off as it is not one of the core subjects. They both feel that technology is taking a back seat to other subjets do the assessment that is taking place currently under the new standards and No Child Left Behind Act. According to Foster, “Technology activities could easily provide rich contexts with which to apply mathematics, language, and other standards.” Hanson feels that by utilizing technology teachers can prove which methods are best for ensuring the understanding of the core subjects. While many teachers are adapting their teaching styles to include technology, some teachers are still holding back. Michelle DenBeste, professor for Califronia State University, that “one of the major downslides to incorporating technology into one’s classroom remains the time issue” (501). She recommends that other professors take it one step at a time, adding small technological advancements to their class, such as a lesson with power point, or an interactive lesson using the internet. It does not appear to matter how teachers feel about technology as it is here to stay. The understanding is that it must be taught to ensure that we keep up with societies around us and that our students are prepared for the advancing world.


Technology Usage in the Classroom

Teachers must move beyond simple teachings of technology. No longer is it acceptable to utilize teaching time to show students how to type on the keyboard. While the understanding is that this should still be taught it must be done so at a much younger age. Thus students who are nearing the middle school and high school levels have time to focus on the development and understanding of the technology. Projects should be based around core subjects and students should be shown how to develop ideas that will be needed in the outside world. Hall feels that in order to achieve this “technology educators must also integrate these practical skills with evaluation, analysis, and problem solving to develop thinking skills that complement other elements of the curriculum.” This focus means more than just teachers teaching, it means districts and communities realizing that technology is important and treating it as such.

The school districts and state agencies need to put a bigger focus on the use of technology in the classroom. Many teachers have received little to no training on the technology in their classroom. Due to this lack of development, teachers do not feel they have the tools necessary to teach the students. In many classes the students actually know more about the technology then their teacher. Teachers must realize this and thus either request training from their district or utilize the student’s knowledge and take a more constructivist approach. With the understanding that technology is important and never going to go away, teachers and districts can work together to make it a priority.


Technology and Society

History of MySpace.com

According to Wikipedia, MySpace.com, as we know it, was founded by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe in 2003. MySpace.com is a “social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos.” MySpace.com currently ranks as the third most popular website in the United States. The website currently allows anyone over the age of 14 to set up a webpage and allows them to talk about anything of meaning to them. They are able to post pictures, note personal information, and show video clips. One of the most atrractive features to most of it’s users is the internal friends and e-mail system allowing users to chat with friends and get in touch with people.

History of Facebook.com

Facebook.com was founded in 2004, by Mark Zuckberg, according to Wikipedia. This social networking site is most popular with high school and college aged students. Facebook.com has two versions, one for highschool students and one for college aged students. One of Facebook.com’s most popular features is the ability to leave notes for deceased, making a shrine out of their page. Facebook.com has fewer features than the competor MySpace.com, but does allow personalization of the profile in much the same manner.




Positive Impacts of MySpace.com and Facebook.com

The social interaction websites MySpace.com and Facebook.com have some very positive impacts and advantages to their prime market, teenagers and twenty-somethings. In a podcast discussing these two sites, Amanda Lenhart stated that both websites offer connection to others and a chance to express your inner self. Fred Stutzman, also spoke during this podcast, and discussed how creative the websites were and how they allowed for the builidng of a social network and for users to explore the world around them. Cynthia Wagner, author of Blabbing on Your Blog, noted that “These virtual communities are part of today’s student culture and are how they communciate” (7). These sites are used to connect wth friends, including those who live far away. Many users find that they can catch up on each other’s lives without lengthy phone conversations and can access them at any hour of the day. All of these things make MySpace.com and Facebook.com inviting to use ensure their ever growing popularity among the masses.

Negatie Impacts of MySpace.com and Facebook.com

The negative impacts seemed to be ignored on these websites as users continue to post personal knowledge and website creators do little to enforce age restrictions. Cynthia Wagner notes that “Many students feel that putting all their personal details online is no big deal, but they don’t realize that posting details about inappropriate behavior and personal information may put them at risk” (7). This risk Wagner is talking about is the risk to potential identity theft, kidnapping or stalking, and other crimes. Other risks do exist however. The latest idea to pop up is the idea that prospective employers are now going to these sites and looking for profiles. According to Wagner, “companies are increasingly scouting for informationon these sites” and suggests that “students not commit anything to cyberspace that they would not commit to print in their hometown newspaper” (7). John Byrne discussed these same concerns in a podcast titled “The MySpace Generation.” Byrne reported there are now 40 million people suscribing to MySpace.com and discussed the problems with being willing to divuldge all of your information down to your telephone number and schedule. This negative impact continues to grow in size as the age of the users becomes younger and younger.


Technology is going to be ever present in education. Teachers and administrators need to ensure that they are educating students now only on the workings of technology but also on the dangers and the consequences. Students as young as kindergarten are able to utilize technology and thus must be able to understand the dangers of these programs. Teachers need to reinforce proper usage of technology and safety measures.















References

Byrne, John (Presenter). (2005, December 1). The MySpace
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Den Beste, Michelle. (2003). Power Point, Technology and the Web:
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Facebook. (2006, September 23). In Wikipedia, The Free
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Foster, Patrick. (2005). Technology in the Standards of Other School
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Hall, Teresa. (2001). Should Technological Literacy be a Mandate for
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Moss, Marty (Presenter/Producer), Lenhart, Amanda (Presenter),
Stutzman, Fred (Presenter). (2006, August 24). Online Social Lives of Teens [Podcast Radio Programme]. Why’s Radio Times. Retrieved September 23, 2006 from http://podcasts.yahoo.com/episode?s=70dcc3bcd46cf66e602ec689e0e6f543&e=308

MySpace. (2006, September 24). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
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Technological Literacy. (2006, September 14). In Wikipedia, The Free
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Wagner, Cynthia. (2006). Blabbing on Your Blog. Futurist, 40, 7.
Retrieved on September 23, 2006 from EBSCO database.