A simple question to start the year

One never knows what the e-mail will bring. Yesterday this question came:

I was wondering if you agree or disagree with this quote, and why: "the more powerful technology becomes, the more indispensable good teachers are.

Interesting idea, and quite the opposite of what many policymakers envision: that technology will "teacher-proof" education.

So I expect that whether one agrees or not depends on how one defines "powerful technology." If it is only to teach basic skills through drill and practice, integrated learning systems, distance education that retains the same pedagogies used in F2F instruction,  then no - these uses require few teaching skills.

But if the technology is used to help students become information literate, effective problem solvers, and powerful communicators, the role of the teacher becomes even more important, especially as the teacher's role becomes process expert rather than content expert.

I'm hoping others can formulate a better response...

Comments

[Joe Poletti]

During the great technology buildup in schools, we probably focused too much on stuff and not enough on people. This year, I'm leading my media and tech folks exclusively in a people-centric direction. This direction aligns with much current literature, research and guidelines.

Perhaps the more powerful teaching becomes, the more indispensible good technology is. I allude to this in my latest entry entitled "Pinnacle of the Academy."
http://blog.carteretcountyschools.org/?p=48

Definitely, check out the new mission and goals published recently by the North Carolina State Board of Education.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/sbe_meetings/revisions/2006/pdfs/0608sbeprioritygoals.pdf

There is as much attention to 21st century professionals as there is 21st century systems.

[Janice Friesen]

I would agree unequivocally with this comment. The definition of powerful technololgy is indeed at the center of what I think, but ILS's and Distance Ed. using the same approach as f2f pedagogy is NOT powerful technology!

What is 'powerful technology'? I think that it fundamentaly changes how a person thinks or what they can do. The international connections which are available to us via the Internet are powerful technology, but it really takes a skilled teacher to use them well in the classroom.

Janice

[Dennis Fermoyle]

I don't know if technology will ever make education "teacher proof," If that were the case, then every time new technology came onto the scene, my job should get easier. In fact, just the opposite has happened. It seems like the more technology there is, the more hours I end up putting in. I'm not sure why that should be, but it's just the way it is. It seems like it makes it easier to do more, so you end up doing a lot more.