Philosophy of Technology in Education

Over the past few years I have chosen to lead a somewhat technology free lifestyle. Sure, I own a computer, but I use it almost entirely for schoolwork and to read the news online. I have chosen not to be a part of AIM, My Space or Facebook despite their growing popularity. I don’t have a blog or a webpage. As a product of my own personal choices, I have only recently begun to consider the role that technology will play in my future as an English teacher.

I may have to work twice as hard as my peers to catch up with developing technologies and to understand what kinds of activities are likely consuming the majority of free time for many students. Despite these obstacles, I do intend to incorporate certain relevant devices into my curriculum. There are several reasons accounting for why I have reached this conclusion.

A major function of the Language Arts class is to teach students to communicate with their peers and other audiences. Communication is changing rapidly as technologies improve and many of our students have learned how to communicate largely through emails, AIM and blogs. As controversial as the lexicon of the online world may be, there is merit to be found in the fact that students are learning how to tell stories and share information via the web. If we, as educators, continue to ignore our students’ existence outside of the school setting, not only are we missing an opportunity but we are creating distance between the school world and what, to our students, represents reality.

Technology can play an important role in accommodating all learning styles and intelligences. I am an auditory learner with linguistic and naturalistic strengths (Lever-Duffy 2005). If I were unaware that everyone learns and processes information differently, I could easily teach every class in the way that I, as a student, would prefer. However, the option of using audiovisual equipment, whether that entails showing a film, listening to music, or using a Smartboard, makes my task much easier. I can also allow my students to use these technologies in their own work to accentuate their individual talents and intelligences.

As an English teacher, I believe that it is extremely important to teach students to look critically at they information they receive from the internet and other media sources. This is applicable in scholastic research but also in something as simple as reading the days headlines. In this way we have the possibility of changing students’ internet consumption for the positive.

While I value the literary canon and deeply appreciate the all kinds of literature, I realize that most of my students are not going to work in the field of academia. I firmly believe that schools should be sending graduates out into the world with realistic expectations and the skills necessary for success in the job world. As David Thornburg states, “It is never too early to start developing the skills necessary for the workplace of tomorrow” (2002). I would hate to think that I could be doing less than the maximum to prepare my students to be successful.

It seems there may be more room in my life for technology than I had thought.

I also believe that the increasing use of technology in the classroom can either level the playing fields between classes or increase the disparity between them. As educators we must work to ensure that those who might have limited access to technology at home are not denied opportunities for success. This is especially true as technological skills are becoming more and more necessary for a successful career. Whether or not we agree with the prevalence of technology within society, it is our duty to work for equal access for all students.