Web 2.0 is Not the Future of Education
Learning is the future of education. Students need to develop an awareness of how they learn. By student, I mean every human being with whom we come in contact. Students are not just the people we enroll in our classes. Parents, baby sisters, grandparents, neighbors, service workers and executives are students. All people deserve the right to understand how learning happens and the power they have to control their own lifelong learning journey.
Why are we hording these technology tools like some kind of magic trick that can only be performed for those worthy enough to earn our approval? We must embrace a more holistic approach to teaching and learning. The classroom is not some sacred place where learning occurs. Life is where learning occurs. It isn’t fair to limit opportunities and experiences to the classroom. We have got to reach beyond the walls and show these students how to learn when we’re not around. I’m ashamed when I see colleagues shunning those who don’t embrace technology. Why can’t we just let them go? Do you really think they are suffering if they don’t try the latest social media tool? Are their students neglected?
I use the term ‘Web 2.0′ here because that’s what others call it, but it isn’t something I would even acknowledge out of the context of other people’s definitions of it. The thought of relying on Web 2.0 tools for the future of our children is downright scary. We certainly can’t proliferate dependence upon these applications with uncertain longevity. The use of Web 2.0 tools is not a ’skill’ that needs to be taught. Some of what I see happening now is no better than the classrooms of 10 years ago where kids just learned to make PowerPoint presentations.
- People deserve to understand how they learn so they can take control of their learning journey.
- People need freedom to create, whether or not they use technology. New technologies enable creativity, but can also stifle it when shared inappropriately.
- People should be inspired to connect with others and be free to disconnect when the connection isn’t productive, uplifting or beneficial. Technology is a great connector, but we can’t rely on individual tools and it is irresponsible to promote something as ‘critical’ to learners if it may be gone in a few years.
- Learning, creating and connecting should continue after the classroom doors are closed. If you are using new media technologies, the students should understand why, and how they should use them outside of class.
I met an instructor recently who told me the secret to teaching is control. I told him I suspected we had different philosophies on teaching and learning, and he heartily agreed. Do you have secret weapons and classroom tricks you don’t reveal to students? Do your students understand how they learn when they are not with you? Are they aware of how the media influences their choices? When you begin class, do you reference what they experienced before they arrived in your classroom? Do they share how their learning continued after class? Do you encourage them to learn more than you know, or do you enjoy being the expert? Who has the power over learning in your classroom?
I am not opposed to technology or web-based tools. I encourage, promote and proliferate them for a living. But when I see these tools hyped out of control, I have to wonder if we’ve gone a little astray. I realize this post is going to offend people, if anyone reads it, but I hope the spirit of my message comes across. I really just want people to start to build their foundational values as educators, without ‘Web 2.0′ as part of those values. The tools can enable engagement, transfer of learning and collaboration and can open the world to the student. Please see the student before the tools and give them the power they need in order to be successful with them.
June 19th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
“Learning is the future of education.” So simple, so direct, so accurate, and so right on. We can all learn. It doesn’t take a computer, Web 2.0, or any other “technology” for people to learn. People learn all over the world without these technologies. Now, while I am a huge proponent of technology and feel we are obligated to prepare our students for a world infused with technology, lack of technology does not, and should not prevent learning.
My students have been fortunate to experience artists, dancers, actors, musicians, etc; all of whom taught them amazing things without technology. P.E and sports coaches have engaged, inspired, and taught my students much.
A great story told by a grandmother visiting a classroom is just as engaging as some Web 2.0 gizmo. Both are valuable and both should be embraced.
The point is the “learning.” You said it best. “Learning is the future of education.” Amen.
June 19th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
“Some of what I see happening now is no better than the classrooms of 10 years ago where kids just learned to make PowerPoint presentations.”
Word.
“But when I see these tools hyped out of control, I have to wonder if we’ve gone a little astray.”
I’ve been noticing this a lot of late among co-workers and some members of the PLN. We have some early adopters who seem to think that technology is the magic bullet, the panacea, the cure for all ills. I try and help others see that edtech is not going to magically make students learner. Heck, back in the day the pencil could have been dubbed as “writing 2.0″. To that end, I always have to buttress my comments with “Obviously, I am very much in support of edtech seeing that my job primarily is focused on techology, but…..”.
Great job once again Jen. I like how you’re very willing to air it all out there and say what needs to be said.
June 19th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
You really are swinging for the fences lately, aren’t ya?
And connecting.
June 19th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
I teach 2nd grade in a gen ed classroom. Many of the teacher at my school have 5 computers in their room, and only use them as babysitter during reading group. I think we’re in an interesting place. I think that the tech folks are WAY ahead of the typical teachers. Tech folks seem to be all about collaboration and reaching the world. For me it’s frustrating. I use the computers I have the best I can when I can. We’ve done digital scavenger hunts on the symbols of KS, made digital books about field trips, taken virtual field trips to see Sue (the T-Rex) in Chicago. During reading groups they have a wide range of reading activities (including activities on the computers) to independently practice reading with. We also do a fair amount of “show what you know” activities (i.e. I make mini movies of them reading fluently and post it on our intranet based website.
I get that technology isn’t an end in itself. I get that the bigger point has got to be the goal. But I feel like a lot of tech talk seems to only focus on maximizing technology and using it to do research projects across the globe. I agree that those projects would be great and very meaningful. I hope to slowly find opportunities to take my teaching to that level. But I still find a lot of value in the ways I use technology, even if it’s not in the perfect way.
Perhaps I’m venting a bit. I was recently selected to be on my district’s technology vision team (as I use technology quite a bit), but was very frustrated when all they talked about was getting teachers to use technology in big new ways. I know those things are good, but they’re new and unfamiliar, and made all the work I’ve done seem invalidated because it wasn’t real world problem solving. Does this make any sense? I’m not meaning to offend, I’m honestly frustrated that I’m working this hard and it’s still not enough.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Jen, I don’t think there is a right or wrong way if you consider the learning first. But think about what they are learning. I just hate to see students walk out of an experience and all they’ve learned is how to use technology. It sounds like you are doing valuable work, which always leads to frustration! When you hear the tech committee state their large plans, just make sure you ask a lot of questions. Bigger doesn’t mean better. You’re on the right track!
June 19th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I hear too many educators say that the value of technology is that it engages students…well, when the glitter dulls, what’s left? In almost all cases, technology use should help move students towards instructional goals, not BE the instructional goals!
I think it is funny that you mention bad powerpoints as something from 10 years ago. To some, PowerPoint is their cutting edge of technology. But, you are correct - using VoiceThread, just like PowerPoint, is pointless if students are not crafting an argument, creating art (visual, aural or written), somehow communicating authentic thinking.
By the way, that instructor you met was right. Control is one of the keys to education…giving control to students.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Eric, great point!
June 20th, 2008 at 2:36 am
Chris wrote:
I’ve been noticing this a lot of late among co-workers and some members of the PLN. We have some early adopters who seem to think that technology is the magic bullet, the panacea, the cure for all ills.
I think one of the reasons that I get so excited about new tools, though, is that they make learning immediate and possible in ways that I’ve never experienced before. Not a day goes by that I don’t learn something new about teaching and learning from the peers I follow on Twitter or from my feed reader.
I can’t say that I had those same learning experiences before digital tools. In fact, dozens of days would go by where I’d be trapped in my own mind, thinking alone about what I was seeing and doing as an educator.
That’s great—but certainly limited. I simply can’t imagine not being connected digitally anymore because it would mean my learning opportunities would dry up….and it’s those learning opportunities that matter to me more than anything.
I can’t wait to start showing that same excitement to children, though. Jen’s right—if our kids don’t recognize and value the learning that is facilitated by digital experiences, our work with Web 2.0 is really a waste, isn’t it?
Yesterday was a fun day for me….We had a representative from the county come by to interview my students about the digital tools in my classroom. He asked tons of questions about the specific technology we were using and why it mattered.
My kids struggled to answer his technical questions. They really couldn’t explain what a blog was or how Voicethread worked. At first I was embarrassed because their answers were stilted and awkward.
But what I realized is that the tool is secondary to my kids. They don’t really pay any attention to how the technology works.
For them, the ability to connect with others and have their thinking challenged is what’s important. The ability to create content and have that content critiqued and challenged is what matters. The ability to collaborate around issues of great importance is what matters.
They don’t care how that stuff happens….They just want it to happen!
I decided that’s my goal for future classes as well. I want my kids to be so focused on the learning that they struggle to explain how a tool works. I want the technology to be irrelevant to them….unless it’s taken away!
In which case I want them to fight to get it back!
Great post, Jen….It really forced my thinking and helped me to refine some ideas that have been sitting in the back of my mind for awhile now.
Thanks,
Bill Ferriter
June 20th, 2008 at 4:17 am
Excellent post - in fact, both of yours today are keepers. And I agree with you - learning comes first. My worry is that some might throw the Web 2.0 baby out with the bathwater in the name of “learning”. I do think that there are “skills” needed in information acquisition and analysis so that students learn more than surface skimming of the web, and in fact delve deeper into topics for deep learning. Technology and the interaction of Web 2.0 can help with this - as can teacher modeling…but we need to focus on learning, not the technology and not the standardized tests.
June 20th, 2008 at 4:18 am
I work in the training field (organizations, corporations) rather than in formal education. One parallel is that all too often the Little Corporate Schoolhouse approach to on-the-job learning: classes separated from the job, lots of PowerPoint and handouts, and another addition to what Dilbert called “the binder family.”
I think your comment about not shunning those who don’t embrace technology is apropos. I keep saying that people managed to build the pyramids, write the Talmud, develop the locomotive, implement the Marshall plan, and conceive the Internet — all without Twitter, blogs, or even Facebook.
Not to say that Ramses II (or his staff) would have or should have avoided technology. If you’re by nature an early adopter, though, you don’t need much motivation to try new things.
For the rest of us, the motivation emerges as we find out about results we want being achieved at higher value (meaning the same results at less cost, or better results for the same cost — in money, time, effort, or some combination).
June 20th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Jen, I think you make some great points here about putting students first in thinking about learning. I think that’s actually one of the reasons that technology becomes so important. Students are already operating in a technology-enabled world and when they leave to go to the world for which school is supposedly preparing them, they will need technology even more.
My frustration with not using these tools is that I think it does students a disservice, both because it doesn’t meet them where they are anyway and because it somehow communicates that they won’t need technology when they go into the “real world.” Dave makes a good point that most of human achievement (including building the pyramids) was done without technology. But that wouldn’t happen now. Technology is integrated into how most work is done, so students need to function within that paradigm.
I DO think that it’s not the technology alone, though. It’s about using technology along with the right thinking and collaborative processes. Some people can get hung up on the tools and lose sight of the fact that it’s HOW they are used, so in that sense, focusing on technology can be damaging.
Anyway–great, thought-provoking post!
June 20th, 2008 at 8:23 am
[...] on learning & use tools effectively By Colette Cassinelli Jen at @injenuity shared her concerns in a post entitled, “Web 2.0 is Not the Future of Education”. She [...]
June 20th, 2008 at 9:58 am
I am teaching web 2.0 tools for some very particular reasons. I agree with you in a broad sense in that I don’t think the tools are ends to themselves. I want to teach people to not be afraid of technology, how to effectively manage information, and how to build community; to do this right now, I am teaching web 2.0 tools. You are comfortable creating content and communicating with a wide variety of tools. You use phrases like “take control of their learning,” “freedom to create,” appropriate vs. inappropriate, “productive, uplifting, or beneficial” - no one is born knowing how to define these terms. And how to apply these terms to their particular context (e.g. what is appropriate in school may be appropriate in the workplace). So I would disagree with the idea that “The use of Web 2.0 tools is not a ’skill’ that needs to be taught.” Just as it is important to teach students how to apply critical thinking skills and knowledge about what is an academically appropriate source for a research paper to their internet research, there are things we can do to teach them how to leverage other tools to take control of their learning. The tools will change, I don’t care what they are called in the future. I am going to teach students how to apply those principles to any technology that will allow them to create, learn, communicate, share, and build community.
I know that they are being “hyped” — it is no different than the hype that goes on around textbooks, learning theories, etc. There is some “glitz” to some of these tools as another respondent said. But that in itself is no reason not to use something. The hype and glitz has worn off of search engines (there was huge mega-hype about some of them — any still use Ask or Dogpile?) and now we take them for granted. I would never use a tool because it was a novelty (no matter how novel the tool). I would only use it because I felt it was a channel for creativity, learning, sharing and community.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Geoff, I completely agree with you. I should have been more descriptive when I mentioned ’skills.’ What I meant to say, was that we don’t just need to teach the point and click side of things. We need to teach exactly what you describe. You are right on the money!
June 20th, 2008 at 10:12 am
@Rob I love the student experiences you described!
@Chris I am grateful for the early adopters who do the hard work of testing the tools on the front lines. I don’t have time for all of it, and that is why I appreciate these personal connections.
@Brian I’m ashamed to admit I had to ask my husband to explain the sports analogy…
@Chris Your description of the learning progress of your class is beautiful! Have you blogged it? What a great lesson for us all to learn. You are absolutely seeking the right outcomes from your students!
@Britt I should have more clearly defined what I meant by skills. I absolutely think literacy and information acquisition skills are essential. I should have clarified that I didn’t think we should focus on the point and click side of things. Learners can figure that out on their own. They need to be taught the relevance of their use of the tools.
@Dave I have to laugh. The last corporate training job I had, the training room was called “The Little Schoolhouse.”
@Michele I DO think the tools should be used appropriately when available and definitely not withheld. I also think students should know how to learn without them as well.
Thank you all for the stimulating discussion! I never realized the tremendous value of participating in blogging communities. I am still humbled by the response.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Jen,
An interesting conversation. I have to say I found your initial post annoying. I understand where you are coming from.
Our District Motto is “Keeping Learners at the Centre.”
I don’t know that Web2.0 is the right catch all but I will work within that category. I believe students today are different than even 10 years ago. If we want to keep them at the centre, we need to change as they and society changes.
I do a lot of professional development workshops and get quite annoyed being asked to teach a software title. I reflect back to the requester to tell tell me what their learning goals are and ask how this will integrate to the curriculum.
A quote from Brigham Young University that I just love is “The goal of teaching is to teach our students to be learners. The content is what they practice with. ”
With the world changing in ways such as a online community being compared to being a country with its size and other features. Students are different and have opportunities to learn differently.
A few years back (probably 10 now) Bernajean Porter worked with our Ministry of Education to define technology use in three ways - Literacy - Adaptive and Transformative. At some point we all need the literacy level (skills), then we can move to doing what we already do (PPT) to doing things not possible before.
Transformative is where I want to see most of the time spent. Voice Thread was an example discussed earlier. If we just record ourselves that is just literacy, if we use it to practice a speech that might be adaptive, but if we use it to , that could have been done before . Using Voice Thread for a global (or local) conversation with voice, text, files, annotations was not possible.
Students and Teachers don’t need to learn every Web2.0 application; however, we do need to prepare students to learn and use the tools that they will need throughout their life. (I actually don’t use Voice Thread myself but I can see the potential.)
I love working with wikispaces.com. It doesn’t matter if you use Wikispaces or PB Wiki or any other tool. What I am teaching is becoming creators of information and publishing to a limited (or global audience.) I would hope that spending time learning to write with a wiki would transfer to other wikis, blogs, voice threads, and even podcasts.
I love using technology. I see so much potential. I totally agree that learning should be central. I question where the balance is between “I am teaching them to learn so technology is a lower priority” and “I am teaching them to learn with technology”
Kevin
June 20th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Kevin, it sounds like we agree! I’m sorry you found the post annoying, but glad you spoke your mind!
June 20th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
@Kevin
The BYU quote “The goal of teaching is to teach our students to be learners. The content is what they practice with. ” is beautiful.
But of course, many in academic research oriented universities would disagree with that. They would say something like, “The goal of teaching is to teach our students to be professional researchers. The content is what we produce and they are learning to produce more of.”
The research vs. teaching priority conflict (and the underlying money issue accelerated by massive corporate funding of certain types of research) is one of the great divides in education today that many do not wish to talk about.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
The funny thing is that I got kicked out of BYU for not attending classes because they were boring.
June 20th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
@ Kevin
I’m with Randy- I LOVE that quote. It’s a definite ah-ha quote for me!
Thanks Jen for this post. It’s been very insightful consider.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
In my 20 years in the game I have seen so many fads come and go and come back again, everyone has the next best thing - programming, business ed centres. Office suites, Internet, the web, online learning, CD Roms, CAL, Logo 1 to 1 etc etc etc - each and everyone of them have been hyped up by keen enthusiasts who use them well, or keen marketers who want to make money…I love your opening line - each and everyday at school I try to ask my students have you “Put learning first today?” focus on learning to learn and knowing yourself and how you learn….as T.H. White said “The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then - to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” (T.H. White the Once and Future King)
June 21st, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Technology is not the panacea for all our ills and as I have blogged and commented on before… there is an invisible backpack that I draw upon when I encounter an opportunity to share and teach. All sorts of strategies and tools fill that backpack… discussions, sharing, stories, field trips, books, quizzes, role plays, drawing, writing, and occasionally the odd yet appropriate use of technology in one form or another.
I feel that ‘teaching our students to be learners’ is quite good yet I like to think that I am attempting to teach our students to be teachers, themselves.
Technology is a good thing and it has a role to play in our lives but there is more to life than technology. Much more. I cannot help but feel that we need to educate those around us to live, to really live, and to be both resilient and creative as I think the present century shall be throwing up challenges the like of which the human race has never before encountered.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Beautiful, John:
Technology is a good thing and it has a role to play in our lives but there is more to life than technology. Much more. I cannot help but feel that we need to educate those around us to live, to really live, and to be both resilient and creative as I think the present century shall be throwing up challenges the like of which the human race has never before encountered.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:58 pm
David, that quote is amazing. I hadn’t seen it before. Thank you so much for sharing!
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:05 am
Just stumbled upon this blog and found some great insight into some of the issues that bother me too.
In my educational context - Eastern Europe - we are trying hard to get teachers to use ANY technology in their classes. Powerpoint is not cutting edge for sure, yet many teachers feel reluctant to get on board with the idea of doing anything even remotely ICT related.
A university prof. of mine used to compare the computer hype and all the fears that come with it to the introduction of the tape recorder in language classes. Many were scared the tape will make all teachers redundant and will make the teaching process impersonal.
With the years passing as the novelty wore off, these fears proved excessive and out of proportion. Noone (I believe) would questions the use and relevance of listening materials in ESL or EFL, but then again, none would (I strongly believe) use the tape recorder in 90% of their class time.
Technology can in fact be empowering - we are doing an international project with 8 classes from all over the world, using VioceThread (among other Web 2.0 features) to share and comment. My stds decided to start and run a multimedia online student newspaper at school - no costs, great outcome. We have a Ning classroom where I can share more materials, videos, quizzes etc. with them - thus being more able to cater for stds’ individual needs.
So, as I see it, there’s a lot Web 2.0 can provide. Your article was really interesting for me as it seems to be a reaction to the overuse of ICT and the fears accompanying it. In in-service training, the first and most emphatic concept I’m trying to communicate is always: ‘use ICT when it helps your pedagicical aims - what can be done without ICT, probably should be done without it’. There is a very fine line between usefully expliting ICT and wasting a lot of precious class time.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:07 am
Tibor, it sounds like you are doing some exciting international projects! I think my post wasn’t really a reaction to the overuse of ICT, but more to the over-hype of individual tools within my own social/professional networks. I don’t like to see tools pushed the way they sometimes are. I do LOVE seeing people share their success stories, as many have here. I just get discouraged when I see people tell others they HAVE to try something, without sharing the learning context.