Critique of Article: Our Brains Extended
By
Trudy Williams CH20129065
Group Y
Lecturer: Mrs. Delphine Williams-Young
Year 3 Secondary, Assignment #2
Educational Technology
Church Teachers’ College: Mandeville
In Partial fulfillment of requirements for
The Bachelor of Education Degree
March 29, 2015
It’s time to lose the “proxies,” and go beyond “21st century skills” and get all students in the world to the real core of education (Marc Prensky). Therefore, Prensky refers to technology as the new way of thinking. In the article he clearly states that we are misled to believe that technology is the way we use and access gadgets like laptops, cell phones or software programs. Instead he sees technology as an extension of our brains. He goes on to say that we have created it as a solution to deal with our many difficulties as our brains become the smartest the smartest tool in the planet when enhanced with technology. Marc Prensky proposes three new subjects that can be used to eliminate the subjects that are now being taught in the K-12 curriculum like Mathematics, English and even Science. He claims that in the 21st century those subjects have become outdated and are no longer challenging students to think critically. Instead he claims that the new curriculum should focus on three crucial areas namely: effective thinking, effective action and effective relationship.
The first subject recommended which is effective thinking speaks to early development through simple mathematical and logical thinking. With this he explains that technology would make an appearance as simulation tools to show students the “consequences” of their actions. Students would be taught from an early age how to identify imperfections using various illustrative stories as the basis for their understanding. Basically what Prensky is trying to establish in subject one is that the teacher would focus on more than just the subject but also on the diverse thinking skills that can be developed. They would teach these skills with reading and technology being the core foundation. This would enable students of the 21st century to always think rationally and critically. Take for example the children’s book mentioned in the article, “The emperor new clothing”. In that story the emperor supposedly received new clothes that were in fact invisible, which would mean that he was not clothed. Through effective thinking the students, after reading this would use their developed skills to identify the consequences of greed.
The second subject is referred to as effective action. This would begin in the earlier grades by adopting Steven Covey’s seven habits of highly effective people. The aim of effective action in the new curriculum would be to get students to be proactive by learning how to manage real life projects as opposed to partially completing them in subject oriented classes. To complete these students would use technological tools like simulations and computer aided design. In the 21st century students would become exposed to starting companies both profit and non-profit, thus becoming aware of the differences between the two. They would be able to creative complete tasks like designing websites and strategically using social media. He emphasizes that the concentration would be on students improvement and how well it will be done next time.
The third is referred effective relationships. Commonly associated to the word relationships is communication which is exactly what the third subject fosters. It would increase student’s communication skills whether one-on-one, in peers or in groups. Over the time students spend in K-12, that is primary and secondary education, Prensky explains that students would be able to make the most of their strengths in communication and reduce their weaknesses. They would be given the opportunity to read literature that concentrates on human relations and relationships as well as be able to study different languages and make translations. For the 21st century this subject would focus less on forcing individuals to know things but on allowing them to relate to the content.
The word pedagogical means relating to or befitting a teacher or education whilst norms refer to the standards of proper and acceptable behaviour (Merriam-Webster). Pedagogy in itself is sometimes referred to as the strategies or the style of instruction. Traditionally, teachers under normal circumstances ensure that students maximize their learning through adequate use of their skills. Normally educators try to maintain the standard that students should know the content being taught through traditional means that is, reading and interpreting texts, writing and analysing content. However in the article, it is being proposed that the curriculum should deviate from these old traditions and allow technology to enhance these capabilities. In other words technology would do most of the thinking and work for the students, whilst teachers would offer merely guidance, empathy, questioning and encouragement. With the new curriculum the dilemma for teachers will be allowing students to become responsible for their own learning whilst monitoring their learning pathway. This inevitably means more independent learning thus resulting in changes in students learning styles.
It is my perspective that a teacher’s role is to foster student’s learning by helping them to interpret, organize and transfer the knowledge gained not only in the content areas being studied but also in real-life situations. It will be difficult for a teacher to transition from being the educator to the facilitator by allowing students to think that technology is the best way to learn. With technology completing the actual task at hand the students will only be left to consider the result or answer of the task. Both the teacher and the student would be denied the privilege of identifying the process of getting the task done. Roekel (2010) stated that educators must re-examine their teaching strategies and curriculum so that students can thrive in this global and interdependent society. The teacher will have to re-design plans to suit the new curriculum.
Policy makers on the other hand, play a vital role in education as every part of the system gets affected by their decision. Their roles include the monitoring of school size, teaching methods, curricular activity and the values the school are expected to uphold. In order to implement this new curriculum the policy makers would have sole responsibility. 21st century students are being trained for future professions from early stages of their schooling. The aim of the new curriculum is to make students more innovative, creative and independent as learners. The new curriculum focuses on creativity, collaboration, communication, productivity and innovation to name a few. Therefore, the policy makers will have to ensure that the teachers are capable of making their classrooms dynamic enough to develop these skills.
Teacher education is a responsibility of the policy maker. It means therefore that the policy maker has to make the necessary provisions in order to train teachers for 21st century learning. This will then put them at a disadvantage as it may be costly where time and money is concerned. In certain regions the policy makers find it hard to fund their institutions, with the added requirement of technological advancements this will be even more difficult. Policy makers will have to ensure that teachers are properly trained to teach students of the 21st century as well as they will have to purchase the necessary technological tools and build the necessary infrastructure. To ensure that these are available they would have to obtain more personnel. For instance the Jamaican government has recently implemented the distribution of Tablets in some high schools, though this was a great idea it was a costly venture for the Ministry of Education. Also some students have access to internet at home whilst others do not, making it difficult for equal learning opportunities.
According to Wiki Technological integration mat be defined as the effective use of technological tools by teachers and students in K-12 and university classrooms. "Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions -- as accessible as all other classroom tools." (International Society for Technology in Education). As previously mentioned earlier the subjects proposed by Marc Prensky, namely Effective Thinking, Action and Relationship can be enhanced through effective technological integration by the teacher. Technology can be integrated through the use of PowerPoints, videos, audio recordings and various soft wares to name a few.
Effective thinking as established above fosters critical thinking skills where both the teacher and the student would focus on thinking in its various forms and on being an effective thinker. As an aspiring Human Ecology teacher, the area of my study is mostly practical and requires students to think logically. The classroom manager/teacher can implement various technological tools to aid in effective thinking. For example in Home Economics an important topic in the curriculum is Kitchen hygienic practises. The teacher can show the students two separate videos, one showing the correct hygienic practises and the other displaying improper practises. The students will then be required to observe both videos and identify the differences in both and what is considered to be incorrect. By doing this students will be allowed to think for themselves by identifying the problem.
Secondly, Effective Action focuses on students being hands-on by learning how to start and manage real life projects. In the field of Home Economics this would be easy to accomplish. Let’s say for instance that the students are placed in groups to create a dessert from scratch. The teacher could then outline that they should sell their product to their school mates by first using various marketing techniques. They could market their product through the use of social media like Facebook and Twitter. By doing this students would experience first-hand how to create a “business” of their own.
Thirdly, effective relationships foster student’s communication skills whether one-on-one, in teams or in peers groups. It would focus on both real world and virtual relationships. It is for this reason that the teacher could start a collaborative class blog. Each student would be given the opportunity to comment on a topic relating to the subject and would have successfully mastered communication in both the real world and the virtual world. Say for example that the teacher covered pastry making in class, the students would then as a requirement visit the blog and share points they gained from the lesson. The remaining students would then read posts that were made and made comments.
Lastly, effective accomplishment which is done yearly allows students to create a growing portfolio of their completed individual and group projects. With this in mind the teacher could integrate technology to aid in effective accomplishment by asking students to create a digital portfolio. They could develop their electronic portfolio by using a website or a blog. This website/blog would include the series of work they would have completed during the course. It would also be representative of their unique style also.
In concluding, change is a must and the new curriculum is fast approaching. Learning is now being upgraded in the sense that technological tools like video, blog, podcasts, web 2.0 tools and many other are now being integrated. Teachers and policy makers alike have to adjust to the changes that are being despite the implications that may arise,
References
Brooks, S. Donovan, P. Rumble, C. (2005, November 3). Developing Nations, the Digital Divide and Research Databases. Retrieved from: http://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/imported/thisTopic-dbTopic-873.pdf
Giller, G. (2014, May 8). Developing Countries Still Far from Closing Digital Divide. Retrieve from: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2014/05/08/developing-countries-still-far-from-closing-digital-divide/
Edutopia. (2007, November 5). How to Integrate Technology. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation
Prensky, M. (2013). Our Brain Extended. Technology Rich Learning. 70(6). 22-27.
By
Trudy Williams CH20129065
Group Y
Lecturer: Mrs. Delphine Williams-Young
Year 3 Secondary, Assignment #2
Educational Technology
Church Teachers’ College: Mandeville
In Partial fulfillment of requirements for
The Bachelor of Education Degree
March 29, 2015
It’s time to lose the “proxies,” and go beyond “21st century skills” and get all students in the world to the real core of education (Marc Prensky). Therefore, Prensky refers to technology as the new way of thinking. In the article he clearly states that we are misled to believe that technology is the way we use and access gadgets like laptops, cell phones or software programs. Instead he sees technology as an extension of our brains. He goes on to say that we have created it as a solution to deal with our many difficulties as our brains become the smartest the smartest tool in the planet when enhanced with technology. Marc Prensky proposes three new subjects that can be used to eliminate the subjects that are now being taught in the K-12 curriculum like Mathematics, English and even Science. He claims that in the 21st century those subjects have become outdated and are no longer challenging students to think critically. Instead he claims that the new curriculum should focus on three crucial areas namely: effective thinking, effective action and effective relationship.
The first subject recommended which is effective thinking speaks to early development through simple mathematical and logical thinking. With this he explains that technology would make an appearance as simulation tools to show students the “consequences” of their actions. Students would be taught from an early age how to identify imperfections using various illustrative stories as the basis for their understanding. Basically what Prensky is trying to establish in subject one is that the teacher would focus on more than just the subject but also on the diverse thinking skills that can be developed. They would teach these skills with reading and technology being the core foundation. This would enable students of the 21st century to always think rationally and critically. Take for example the children’s book mentioned in the article, “The emperor new clothing”. In that story the emperor supposedly received new clothes that were in fact invisible, which would mean that he was not clothed. Through effective thinking the students, after reading this would use their developed skills to identify the consequences of greed.
The second subject is referred to as effective action. This would begin in the earlier grades by adopting Steven Covey’s seven habits of highly effective people. The aim of effective action in the new curriculum would be to get students to be proactive by learning how to manage real life projects as opposed to partially completing them in subject oriented classes. To complete these students would use technological tools like simulations and computer aided design. In the 21st century students would become exposed to starting companies both profit and non-profit, thus becoming aware of the differences between the two. They would be able to creative complete tasks like designing websites and strategically using social media. He emphasizes that the concentration would be on students improvement and how well it will be done next time.
The third is referred effective relationships. Commonly associated to the word relationships is communication which is exactly what the third subject fosters. It would increase student’s communication skills whether one-on-one, in peers or in groups. Over the time students spend in K-12, that is primary and secondary education, Prensky explains that students would be able to make the most of their strengths in communication and reduce their weaknesses. They would be given the opportunity to read literature that concentrates on human relations and relationships as well as be able to study different languages and make translations. For the 21st century this subject would focus less on forcing individuals to know things but on allowing them to relate to the content.
The word pedagogical means relating to or befitting a teacher or education whilst norms refer to the standards of proper and acceptable behaviour (Merriam-Webster). Pedagogy in itself is sometimes referred to as the strategies or the style of instruction. Traditionally, teachers under normal circumstances ensure that students maximize their learning through adequate use of their skills. Normally educators try to maintain the standard that students should know the content being taught through traditional means that is, reading and interpreting texts, writing and analysing content. However in the article, it is being proposed that the curriculum should deviate from these old traditions and allow technology to enhance these capabilities. In other words technology would do most of the thinking and work for the students, whilst teachers would offer merely guidance, empathy, questioning and encouragement. With the new curriculum the dilemma for teachers will be allowing students to become responsible for their own learning whilst monitoring their learning pathway. This inevitably means more independent learning thus resulting in changes in students learning styles.
It is my perspective that a teacher’s role is to foster student’s learning by helping them to interpret, organize and transfer the knowledge gained not only in the content areas being studied but also in real-life situations. It will be difficult for a teacher to transition from being the educator to the facilitator by allowing students to think that technology is the best way to learn. With technology completing the actual task at hand the students will only be left to consider the result or answer of the task. Both the teacher and the student would be denied the privilege of identifying the process of getting the task done. Roekel (2010) stated that educators must re-examine their teaching strategies and curriculum so that students can thrive in this global and interdependent society. The teacher will have to re-design plans to suit the new curriculum.
Policy makers on the other hand, play a vital role in education as every part of the system gets affected by their decision. Their roles include the monitoring of school size, teaching methods, curricular activity and the values the school are expected to uphold. In order to implement this new curriculum the policy makers would have sole responsibility. 21st century students are being trained for future professions from early stages of their schooling. The aim of the new curriculum is to make students more innovative, creative and independent as learners. The new curriculum focuses on creativity, collaboration, communication, productivity and innovation to name a few. Therefore, the policy makers will have to ensure that the teachers are capable of making their classrooms dynamic enough to develop these skills.
Teacher education is a responsibility of the policy maker. It means therefore that the policy maker has to make the necessary provisions in order to train teachers for 21st century learning. This will then put them at a disadvantage as it may be costly where time and money is concerned. In certain regions the policy makers find it hard to fund their institutions, with the added requirement of technological advancements this will be even more difficult. Policy makers will have to ensure that teachers are properly trained to teach students of the 21st century as well as they will have to purchase the necessary technological tools and build the necessary infrastructure. To ensure that these are available they would have to obtain more personnel. For instance the Jamaican government has recently implemented the distribution of Tablets in some high schools, though this was a great idea it was a costly venture for the Ministry of Education. Also some students have access to internet at home whilst others do not, making it difficult for equal learning opportunities.
According to Wiki Technological integration mat be defined as the effective use of technological tools by teachers and students in K-12 and university classrooms. "Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions -- as accessible as all other classroom tools." (International Society for Technology in Education). As previously mentioned earlier the subjects proposed by Marc Prensky, namely Effective Thinking, Action and Relationship can be enhanced through effective technological integration by the teacher. Technology can be integrated through the use of PowerPoints, videos, audio recordings and various soft wares to name a few.
Effective thinking as established above fosters critical thinking skills where both the teacher and the student would focus on thinking in its various forms and on being an effective thinker. As an aspiring Human Ecology teacher, the area of my study is mostly practical and requires students to think logically. The classroom manager/teacher can implement various technological tools to aid in effective thinking. For example in Home Economics an important topic in the curriculum is Kitchen hygienic practises. The teacher can show the students two separate videos, one showing the correct hygienic practises and the other displaying improper practises. The students will then be required to observe both videos and identify the differences in both and what is considered to be incorrect. By doing this students will be allowed to think for themselves by identifying the problem.
Secondly, Effective Action focuses on students being hands-on by learning how to start and manage real life projects. In the field of Home Economics this would be easy to accomplish. Let’s say for instance that the students are placed in groups to create a dessert from scratch. The teacher could then outline that they should sell their product to their school mates by first using various marketing techniques. They could market their product through the use of social media like Facebook and Twitter. By doing this students would experience first-hand how to create a “business” of their own.
Thirdly, effective relationships foster student’s communication skills whether one-on-one, in teams or in peers groups. It would focus on both real world and virtual relationships. It is for this reason that the teacher could start a collaborative class blog. Each student would be given the opportunity to comment on a topic relating to the subject and would have successfully mastered communication in both the real world and the virtual world. Say for example that the teacher covered pastry making in class, the students would then as a requirement visit the blog and share points they gained from the lesson. The remaining students would then read posts that were made and made comments.
Lastly, effective accomplishment which is done yearly allows students to create a growing portfolio of their completed individual and group projects. With this in mind the teacher could integrate technology to aid in effective accomplishment by asking students to create a digital portfolio. They could develop their electronic portfolio by using a website or a blog. This website/blog would include the series of work they would have completed during the course. It would also be representative of their unique style also.
In concluding, change is a must and the new curriculum is fast approaching. Learning is now being upgraded in the sense that technological tools like video, blog, podcasts, web 2.0 tools and many other are now being integrated. Teachers and policy makers alike have to adjust to the changes that are being despite the implications that may arise,
References
Brooks, S. Donovan, P. Rumble, C. (2005, November 3). Developing Nations, the Digital Divide and Research Databases. Retrieved from: http://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/imported/thisTopic-dbTopic-873.pdf
Giller, G. (2014, May 8). Developing Countries Still Far from Closing Digital Divide. Retrieve from: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2014/05/08/developing-countries-still-far-from-closing-digital-divide/
Edutopia. (2007, November 5). How to Integrate Technology. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation
Prensky, M. (2013). Our Brain Extended. Technology Rich Learning. 70(6). 22-27.