Article Assesment 3- Tools for the Mind

Overview:

“Tools for the Mind” is about the shift away from technology use in the classroom as NCLB continues to dominate the educational front. However, rather than focus her energies on complaining about this change, Mary Burns, explains how this might be beneficial to school in the long-term as teachers have not been using technology to support higher levels of learning. She suggests that as teachers we need to not concentrate our efforts on using word processors and power point programs for presentation but to increase the understanding of our students and improve the way they evaluate information and consider new information.

Reference Points:

1) NCLB has taken priority relegating technology in the classroom to the back burner.
2) Burns thinks this movement might be beneficial in the long-run as it will give us the time to re-think how we use technology in the classroom.
3) Eureka moments using technology are not common enough as most teachers use computers as a way to present information not gain a better understanding.
4) Not all programs are instructionally equal.
5) If we want to reach the higher cognitive levels with our students we must look at technology differently.
6) The internet is not just a digital textbook and students must be taught how to evaluate information for validity.
7) The majority of teachers use technology (81%) for electronic presentations while only a few (6%) use spreadsheets.
8) Spreadsheet use, databases, and collaboration in content areas over the internet are some ways we can increase student understanding.
9) One reason that teachers have not done this is because long-term professional development programs have not been implemented in many districts to train teachers how to integrate these tools into their curriculum.
10) Teachers need to expand the ways they use technology in their classroom.

Reflection:

I think that Mary Burns makes some important points in her article. It is easy as a teacher to write-off technology because I don’t feel as though I understand it well enough to teach it. However, students do understand how to use many of these tools and if given the chance they can use interesting programs to find the deeper meaning behind numerous subjects. The long-term professional development programs she discusses could be very beneficial in this way.

It seems to me that the majority of teachers do not have enough spare time during their day to find ways to incorporate new technologies into their current curriculum. To make a real impact in this area, teachers need to be shown what it can do. As a first year teacher this year, the task seems daunting. However, as I progress through my career I will be able to build on what I already have set in place and use more of these tools in my classroom.