It is common knowledge that at Episcopal the teachers are encouraged to employ technology in their classrooms, evidenced by the presence of televisions, SmartBoards, and the plethora of Twitter accounts throughout the school. Many seem to ascribe to the dogma that technology advances education and increases its value. However, we seem to have too quickly and too blindly embraced this craze, and in doing so, we have taken up technology as a novelty in the classroom without due consideration for its practical applications.
Obviously as the job market modernizes and these same technologies become prevalent throughout the professional world, being technologically literate is no doubt an important skill. With this in mind, it still seems technology is being unnaturally forced into our classrooms where it becomes more of a burden than a benefit.
Technology’s setup time alone eats a considerable portion of the class period, from searching for the ever-elusive dongle to struggling with the never-calibrated SmartBoard. It’s hard not to wonder what net advantage these screens have over the convenience of the traditional boards mounted on either side of them. Indeed, can the notes written on a SmartBoard not be just as easily done in chalk?
At home, too, no one is a stranger to a broken homework link or a malfunctioning website. Whereas once all it took to complete an assignment was knowing the material, now students must navigate a sea of websites, failed links, and required plug-ins before they can even begin the assignment.
Furthermore, the school’s printed planner has become obsolete as homework assignments are no longer given in classes. Now, a student is required to check multiple websites like Canvas, WordPress, Google Drive, Edline and others, just to simply receive their assignments. Since parting with Blackboard, EA no longer has standardization between departments on the matter of class websites. This leaves students flipping between windows in search of their homework.
Moreover, Episcopal has lauded its recent partnership with the Global Online Academy. This is an example of blindly embellishing the traditional learning experience in a way that is not always helpful to the students. Eunice Ju ‘15, who takes Multivariable Calculus through GOA said, “Personally…I wish I hadn’t taken [Multivariable Calculus] since I miss the teacher and classroom and furthermore find it difficult to instruct myself on the materials.”
This is a reminder that the value of a traditional classroom experience is more than what technology alone can offer. There is a time and a place for everything, and, just as one calibrates a SmartBoard, we too must calibrate our use of technology. Without this calibration, technology can feel forced and frivolous. Ju added, “Technology…when wisely implemented can enrich or create an entertaining learning experience. Often in pursuit of this enriched education, people attempt to revolutionize the fundamentals of a classroom- that’s when technology becomes an issue.”
No doubt, how we use technology to remain at the forefront of education will determine our status as a first-rate institution. The question is, will we use technology to add depth and quality to our current program, or will we warp our classes around it to construct a shallow facade of innovation.