Below is the abstract of a paper which I will present at an upcoming conference. Please read, ponder, and make comments on the ideas presented.
The Myth of Student Technology Proficiency for the 21st Century
By Punnipa Hossain, Ph.D.
Professor of Educational Technology
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
Lock Haven, PA 17745
Access to technologies such as computers, cellular devices, and the Internet in developed and developing countries have increased many folds over the last two decades. With increase in access led to a belief that students are mastering the skills to effectively utilize technologies to their fullest potential. It is apparent that the so called technology proficiency is overstated. Research shows that access to technology does not always lead to a desired level of proficiency. Educators assert that the access should be followed by a systematic approach to technology education put forth in the ASSURE Model (Heinich et al. 2005). The model approaches education from a holistic perspective emphasizing on self-efficacy guaranteeing effective use of technology through diligent use of the cognitive process.
Educators face a daunting task to make an argument that surfing the net, posting on the YouTube, participating in social networks, and playing on-line games are not sufficient skills to build a knowledge base to succeed in the 21st Century globalized world.
The proposed presentation will demonstrate the use and relevance of ASSURE model to train teachers to devise strategies that would create sustainable technology skills among students which will not only lead to individual and professional growth but also generate social transformation.
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15 years ago
19 comments:
I do agree that growing up with technology doesn't lead to a thorough understanding of it. Usually, students will have a better knowledge of games, text messaging, or how to fix an ipod, which are all useful, yet (like me) they have difficulty using universal Microsoft word programs such as Excel and Access or have terrible difficulty with the new Microsoft Vista program.
I agree with your blog. I think that to become proficient in technology it takes more than just having access to it. As teachers it should be our responsibility to give opportunities for our students to grow and learn about the use of technology to enrich their everyday lives inside and outside of school. On the otherhand, students have to want to have that motivation to explore and use the technology themselves. By actually participating in the use of technology hands on, the students will be able to get a better grasp. Technology opens a world of opportunities and communication so by educators presenting the use of technology more efficiently and students participating in the use the opportunities can only grow for one another.
Your blog is completely correct. Just because a student can text message a friend to see what the plans are for this evening does not mean that he is able to hold an intelligent conversation. So much of technology is used with short cuts and slang that language itself is not actually being enhanced and students are not progressing for the workforce where in most cases, students lack public speaking skills. Students may be able to post of YouTube or get a new piece of technology and be able to use it without any assistance or needing to read the manual but again this does not show that they are using this technology to help enhance the 21st century. In schools, teachers need to use technology and students need to master the use of all kinds of technology that will help them in their future careers. Students need to be proficient in the entire Microsoft Office components, not just Word and PowerPoint which is the main ones used today in high schools. Students also need to improve upon the proper uses of English and language with the use of technology.
The technology that young people are proficient at provides a base for opportunities in technological fields, but to be able to utilize the potential that technology offers, students need more instruction. I agree with the other blogs that though a student knows how to email or text message, they may have no idea how to use the various microsoft programs.
I agree that just by being able to use the technology does not necessarily mean that educators are using technologies in an effective manner. If teachers are just using the technology, then they are probably not even as proficient with it as what their students are. As teachers we should know a lot more about the technology, and be able to show students new and interesting advances in technology. We should be encouraging students to not only use the technology that they know, but also explore new technologies that will be beneficial to them and to others in the world. As future teachers we need to educate students on how to use the available technologies in very useful ways.
As other posters have commented, I think students only use technology when they find it fun or makes their lives convenient. But I think that by showing students that using other technology and the technology they use in different ways, it can be both fun and rewarding.
I, Felix Noy, agree with everyone else in that in order to succeed in the 21st century one must be prepared and equipped with all the essential skills and knowledge that required to survive in such circumstances.
I agree completely with your blog. I do feel that technology can be helpful in learning but one has to use it in the right way. Students mainly use technology to talk to friends, play games, and surf the web. They know how to use technology for these things but many need extra help to get the most out of technology.
So, students might be able to use technology but these skills are not sufficient skills to build a good foundation of knowledge so that they can succeed in the 21st Century, just as you stated in your blog.
In following with everyone else, I also agree that even though students have access to all different types of technology they don't usually understand how to effectively use it. Using me as an example, I know how to use programs on my computer but when it comes to effectively using the internet, I am completely lost half the time.
I agree with this post. While many more young people have access to many new and different forms of technology there is a growing number that do not master the use of the more important forms of technology, like simple word processing programs. I do believe that the knowledge one can learn from using youtube and other electronic devices is important I feel that it is often much less important than other educational tools.
I agree with the blog and everyone else on this issue. It is apparent that there is value in learning how to master educational technology or we wouldn't be required to take classes to better our understanding of it. I have extreme difficulties myself using various technologies, and like you, feel that in order to succeed in the 21st century one must acquire more than just an understanding of email, texts, etc.
I agree with the statement about teachers/students/everyday people don't use technology to its fullest potential. Technology may make our lives easier by being to instantly communicate with someone, but we don't always use it to further our knowledge of a subject.
I agree with what Kami said about students needing to know how to use all the components of Microsoft, just not the ones we find "convenient." Students use of all of these programs will enhance their critical thinking and logical processing skills.
Sorry, I just realized I put this comment under the wrong blog...
I agree that students do not use technology for so much educational purposes, but rather for social and entertainment purposes. Instead of advancing one’s mind and skills, it seems technology has made people lazy. Technology advances make an endless amount of tasks much easier to accomplish, yet some how we get just as easily distracted from those tasks. We need to ask the question: Is this really helping our students? From what I have observed in schools and right here on campus, many students are getting easily distracted by new technologies—texting on cell phones while in class discussion, watching videos instead of doing research, surfing the web during lectures, IMing or listening to their iPods while trying to write a paper for class that needs their undivided attention.
Granted, it is hard not to be distracted by things that we would rather do, but it is hurting our students’ ability to develop proficiency skills. Every student does not fall under this category, but I think this issue needs to be addressed head-on. It should begin as early as elementary school, because kids are learning a lot more information involving technology, and at younger ages. It is our duty as educators and/or parents to help our students/children understand that technology is much more than a source of entertainment. Technology is a valuable resource that will make our lives much easier if we become aware of the services it has to offer and learn to use them correctly.
Again, I agree with what everyone else has stated in response to your blog. Students today are mastering the skills necessary to keep in touch with friends and the internet world, yet do not seem to be mastering skills which will be beneficial to them in the future. Just the other day I was having a discussion with a professor about how students write e-mails to him using slang language and improper sentences. This day in age, it is essential for educators to break this habit that students seem to be encompassing.
As someone who spends a large amount of time on the internet, fiddling with new technology, and texting, I feel that even I still need improvement in becoming familiar with tecchnology which will benefit my classroom. Using the resources around me, I hope to someday become proficient in using these and passing the knowledge on to my students. As I wrote in my blog, I participated in a classroom where the classroom was centered heavily on using technology. The students worked extremely well with it and were so excited to be learning the parts of the cell by making videos... and the projects came out fantastic! Hopefully in the future, more classrooms will be based around this model of learning and students will become more engaged and also grow more proficient in using useful technology skills.
Technology plays a huge part in our every day lives, but I don't think that we are using it to its full potential. There are resources at our fingertips that we may never use because we aren't aware of them or educated on how to use them. I agree with the blog in the aspect that we need to be made aware of technology beyond what we stumble upon on the internet. It is important, as future educators, to take courses like this so that we are able to utilize technology and pass our knowledge onto our students.
Like most of the other students, I agree that your blog is accurate. Many generations are having a hard time realizing that computer technology is not just facebook, myspace, or blogs. Computer technology is also very broad. I think one main problem is students will take classes on computer technology but technology changes. However, it doesn't change every year so to have a yearly class on how to efficiently use programs like word and excel would just become monotonous. I think that if teachers would create an intense program with information on what ALL technology has to offer and update it as technology updates then it would provide a lot to students today.
I agree that these kids are not going to have the knowledge of technology that they should have to be successful in life. I also think that it will be easier to teach this generation on how to use technology so you can get the most out of it. Generations prior to them would need taught even most of the basic skills that these students already have.
I would also have to agree with the blog. I believe that the only reason students do not know how to properly use all technologies needed for educational purposes is because they have never needed a reason to use them. I think that if given a task and a program to use, students now-a-days would be able to successfully work whatever technology was being used. So I'm not sure how much teaching would actually be required.
I agree with the abstract, as well as everyone else. I think technology is always progressing. Even though students can chat and post videos, does not mean that they have the skills to succeed in the future. Technology is prevelant in most careers today. It is important that students learn the computer skills they need to be sucessful.
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