In Response to "8 Ideas That Will Permanently Break Education As We Know It"

In response to "8 Ideas That Will Permanently Break Education As We Know It" by Terry Heick:

It is proposed that education, due to modern adaptations and advancements, will change drastically. As a teacher, my response must be swift if I want to preserve my career and livelihood. 

1. Connectivity is replacing knowledge.

Connectivity, in my opinion, cannot replace knowledge because it is simply not the same thing. Knowledge builds capacity and autonomy, whereas connectivity breeds a potential dependence upon a collective group of others. This, to me, does not imply collaboration.

Wouldn't it be safe to say that SOMEONE has to have the knowledge? The premise of connectivity only works if the information we want is out there and accurate, appropriate, and adequate. If we do not teach the knowledge to evaluate for accuracy, appropriateness, or adequacy, connectivity is a moot point. We must not blindly connect, but be informed and critical learners who seeks to connect for the purpose of building knowledge.

2. Student are clients.

Here it is stated that education and schools must compete to be more compelling, creative, and interesting to appeal to audiences. Traditional public schools are not backed by the public sector and can not yield nearly as much capital to entice students and parents. Charter schools are sometimes filled with false promises and impractical ideals that do not meet the needs of their clients. Others are among the top schools in the nation, driven to succeed and adapting the best educational practices and technologies to meet students in the classroom.

Perhaps the message to receive here is by schools and districts. Teachers will always to seek to make content engaging, interesting, and allow students to flourish creatively, but as we are beholden to standards, it is a distinct possibility that we may slip and thus, displease our "clients." As long as we as teachers always strive to advance our pedagogical skills and improve our practice through our professional learning networks, we can evolve with the culture of our schools.

3. Adaptive software can replace 75% of what a teacher does.

Technology is to be used as a tool, not as a replacement for what we do in the classroom. Many teachers use the newest and most advanced technologies to support teaching. Teach-nology, as I would like to propose it, cannot and never will, replace human interaction and sensitivities developed through relationships and rapport-building.

4. YouTube is way, way more engaging than reading and writing.

I always say I must be entertaining and engaging as a teacher. I must be more entertaining, in fact, than mobile devices in the pockets of my students. Yes, YouTube is way more engaging than reading and writing, but YouTube is not a lifelong skill. The question becomes: how do we integrate web 2.0 tools and mega-sites like YouTube into our curriculum and classrooms, not how we use it to replace the irreplaccble skills 

5. Reading and writing should be social.

I cannot argue with this. My classroom is collaborative, talkative, and active. We as adults don't work in a vacuum, so why should students. It is imperative that students learn how to be citizens of the global community. I blog and share my writing. I have Facebook, Twitter, Google+, blog, etc. I'm looking int

6. The disruption of mobile technology will be complete.

Again, I cannot argue here. This is my teachers need to be on the forefront of developing a knowledge for these technologies. I refuse to let my students become more advanced than I am. Moreover, just because students understand how to use what we'd consider "educational" technologies does not mean they know how, will, or will choose to use them appropriately. The disruption doesn't have to be a disruption.

7. Parents don’t understand teaching and learning.

I do not think this has ever been more true than it is now. I remember how active my parents were in knowing what was going on in my classes, but it didn't mean that they understood what it meant to teach me. I was a gifted learner, I suppose in may ways, I still demonstrate the traits that designated me as such years ago, so my parents learned about what it meant to have a gifted students.

Now, parents with students, whether gifted, English-learning, or special education, tend to place the complete and total responsibility onto the teachers who they trust as the "experts" in education. On the other hand, these same parents fail to receive the education, either through their own efforts or through outreach.

Teachers and parents need to work as allies to ensure student success, especially with the diverse and complicated distractions and varying needs that now have proliferated our classrooms.

8. Universities are decaying.

This is the sad truth. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I like human contact. Many universities are switching to online courses or hybrid courses that blend in-class interaction with online learning components. I have to say, in my experience with all three courses, traditional, hybrid, and online, I favor the traditional route, but could be convinced to partake in more hybrid course study. Online classes, however, have to appeal because interaction in real time is becoming more and more available through mediums such as Skype and Google Hangouts. The question remains, should we throw the baby out with the bathwater?

Sure, online courses appear to on-the-go students, maybe those who are going back to school. Online courses also offer flexibility and diversity, especially as they gain popularity. There is something to be said, however, for the college experience. Although universities may see decline in enrollment, I highly doubt they're endangered. I hope I'm correct.

All of this being said, as a teacher, I hope there can be a balance in the force. We are being forced to adapt to a world that is quickly changing, and maybe only the strong and most adaptable will survive in the Darwinian world of education.

Digital Natives & The Digital Divide

I do not want to fail my students. I want them all to succeed. The old adage that "all kids can learn" is certainly true, but I do not believe, that under current circumstances and school climates, that all students will.

There is such pressure on students today to succeed in a world that will require more skills than they currently possess. Much of the emphasis has been placed on teachers to make up the gap that is created between educational standards and real-world need.

Many consider an easy fix to our achievement gap to be the use of technology and costly programs geared to "individualized" instruction and "highly engaging" curriculum. As a teacher, I resent the thought that I do not present my students with either engaging or individualized support. That, however, is not the largest issue; technology-based "remedies" are not as practical as one would think.

Students are often referred to as "digital natives" because they have never known a world without quick access to information through the pathways of numerous technological devices. Digital natives are more immersed with technology than previous generations and are more dependent and connected. The highly misguided presumption of the educational mega-companies and cooperatives is that being a digital native and being digitally literate are connected.

Take, for example, those people who grow up in households that speak a language native to their parents, but enter our public schools with no knowledge of how to read or write that language. Rather than being given fundamental language skills, the "primary" or "home" language is not developed enough to enable a student to better adapt their newly acquired "school" language. Following a similar thought process, understanding that technology exists and being able to appropriately employ this technology are two different things. Using the internet and other digital resources is simple enough, but to use these resources accurately and appropriately requires more skill and education. To believe that students will acquire lost knowledge through the use of self-guided educational products seems illogical.

Although being digitally proficient is a dangerous presumption, students do have a higher level of interest when using technology for educational purposes. I would advocate for using educational technology when beneficial, supportive, and for the advancement of knowledge, but to include it within lessons as bells and whistles or to allow students to self-guide themselves through remedial curriculum is unacceptable. Educational technology cannot exist without the education of technology. Twenty-first century learners cannot rely solely on twenty-first century technology, but rather must be taught the valuable thinking skills that will allow them to better navigate the digital world and bridge the divide created by the tumultuous educational climate.