Curriculum and Technology

Elizabeth Bairner
Fundamentals of Curriculum Development
Dr. Jay Dugan

As with any trend in education, technology in the classroom has both positives and negatives. When the negatives are taken seriously and fixed, technology can be a powerful tool in any curriculum. In this ever changing society and world, it is important to maintain with or ahead of the times. Global competition will not go away, so as educators and future leaders, people must do everything they can to stay well versed in what is best for students now and in the future.
Over the past two decades, technology has become employed more and more in schools. Billions of dollars have been invested into technology in the United States. This is mostly in response for the need to train 21st century learners and workers. Over the years, a breach has existed between information and aptitude needed for students to compete in the workplace when compared to other countries. No Child Left Behind calls for every student to understand and be able to use technology by the time they graduate from the eighth grade. However, there is no assessment to make students or schools accountable for this knowledge. Schools must take it upon themselves to close the gap that exists in today’s students. They must educate them in a way that brings information and ability together so students can become competitive when they become employees (Honey, Culp, & Spielvogel, 2005).
Various skills can be developed through the use of technology in curriculum. The competence that can come about from technology is diverse, according to what facets are being used. Communication skills are strengthened through word processing and email correspondence. Organizational skills are fortified with the use of database and spreadsheet programs such as Excel. Science and math concepts can be strengthened through the use of modelling software and various tools such as graphing calculators. Along with the aforementioned abilities that can be reinforced, students can also become competent in the areas listed in Bloom’s Taxonomy such as higher-order skills of critical thinking, analysis, and scientific inquiry. This comes about by creating in depth assignments that require the student to work both collaboratively and in a way they would not be able to do simply with pencil and paper (Honey, Culp, & Spielvogel, 2005).
As was mentioned before, when one takes on a task that is as important as curriculum, both sides must be examined. Although it is quite evident that there are many uses for technology in the classroom, there are many pitfalls as well. When technology is used properly, it can be an asset. However, technology is often abused and this then becomes a problem that does not have much precedence and new solutions must be created.
When a student is assigned a topic to research and is not monitored properly or instructed in where to find valid information, chances are they will find damaging material. At the same time, students must be taught how to properly cite material and the dangers of plagiarism. When a student pulls info off of the Internet, they could simply copy and paste the information without understanding what they are writing about. With so many different types of media such as Face book, blogs, Wikipedia, or MySpace, students could write a paper with little to no factual information involved. Anyone can create one of these forums and write about whatever they want from whatever standpoint they believe. This would simply teach them false lessons and could leave lasting impressions that would leave them ignorant in the end. Students also need reinforcement on how to write properly. Many students use tools, like instant messaging and texting, so often that they forget the basic concepts of the English language and how to write for a formal audience (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009).
When students are exposed to media in technology or news sources, teachers must ensure that these are reputable. Many companies have begun to censor their material in order to make money. They do not want to offend anyone, so they simply leave out facts, here or there, that would prevent them from being able to be supported fiscally. This could lead to what has been a fear with the upcoming generations. This fear is of desensitization and on the other end a forced naivety. People begin to choose what they read based on how much or how little they truly want to know about the world they live in. Either way, information can be left out or people cannot be fazed by horrific realities. They would never learn in this kind of environment. Students could possibly stay single minded and may perhaps not increase their knowledge base. Educators and leaders must instruct students to a degree that they see fit, so that students are prepared for reality. If this responsibility is taken seriously, students will be prepared for the future, if it is not, it will become detrimental to society as we know it today (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009).
It may seem extreme, however there is some validity to the argument that the machine could one day take over. When there is too much emphasis on technology, people can become lost. What this means is everything that has been discovered recently about the benefits of multiple intelligences and differentiated instruction could go by the way side to technology. If educators become too reliant on computers and various programs, students will lose their abilities to be creative through other means such as musically or kinaesthetically. Also, when students spend too much time with technology or become too connected, they have no privacy or time to be young. Children do not go outside and play like they used to. They do not make up games or amuse themselves with make believe. There is something to be learned from the skills that arise from these games. Students can become more creative learners if they use that part of their brain on a regular basis. Also, something can be lost if educators and leaders do not expose students to various forms of reality. Learning about growing a plant from a website will never be the same as growing the plant in a classroom in person. Looking up various animal species may give factual information, but there is still the experience of petting a real live animal and understanding what they look and feel like in real life. Students should not become robots; they should become lifelong learners (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009).
It can be perceived that technology has a major place in the education of students today. This process of using state of the art materials in the classroom obviously can lead to greatness. However, the people that are helping students, use these outlets, must teach them how to be used effectively and properly. They must balance real life with technology and ensure that students do not become so tuned in that they lose experiences that can frame their future. With global competition at the forefront of education, technology must be incorporated; however it should not be just an expensive play toy. It should be used properly and should facilitate future learning. Students should learn the most they can. They should not be simply taught to plug information into a database that will turn out a research paper. They should learn the steps of a research paper and then be taught what research is valid. They should be able to use their creativity to generate a paper that is educationally sound and is worthwhile for an audience. When the drawbacks and benefits of technology in curriculum are well-adjusted, learning can be abundant and worthwhile (Honey, Culp, & Spielvogel, 2005; Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009).