My Reflections on Chapter 2 of Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, The Technology Enthusiasts' Argument

Reading about the Technology Enthusiasts' argument about the role of technology in teaching and learning made ways of integrating technology into the classroom entirely more clear to me. The enthusiasts argure that this changing world is in need of an adapted schooling process to prepare students for the world they are entering. They argue that computers are not utilized in school in an effective way that allows students to interact with technology. Students need to become familiar with using technology to communicate, interact within communities, and tackle real-world problems in order to thrive in this changing society.

I now see the importance of providing students with situations where they must use computer tools to solve complex problems. This goes beyond simply placing computers in schools. There are several learning environments that can be provided to encourage such skills. As a future teacher I will use the methods that were highlighted in the chapter to put students into learning situations where they use tools to solve problems. Such applications include Just-in-time learning where students can find what they need to know to accomplish a task, customization where students can choose individual preferences, learner control, interaction where learners can receive immediate feedback and learn the consequences of their actions, scaffolding learners to suport them with carrying out difficult tasks, games and simulations that enable learners to pactice skills needed in the real world without real consequences, multimedia, publication, and reflection so learners can reflect on their process and compare their performance.