Public schools have been overwhelmed by technology but this school system was never designed with technology in mind. An alternative system needs to be created that uses technology to give the best advantage to the learning experience. A sudbury school allows the students to have complete control over their own education. Instead of telling the students what they need to learn, the student gets to choose what they want to learn. Just because our school system isn’t compatible with technology doesn’t mean we should ban technology. Rather we should alter the school system to be more compatible with it.
People getting enhanced
For many students technology greatly enhances their experience of the class. They are interested in the subject matter and are they using technology to assist their learning. What student wouldn’t be enlivened by, “sitting in a classroom [in tennessee] but the guest lecturer is sitting in his home office in [eastern europe] via video technology.” As described by Ellen Granberg of Vanderbilt university.(A) technology can also be used to communicate between students and teachers. Willyn Webb “uses phones to poll students in class and send homework reminder text messages.”(C) But these are the students that are already interested in the class they are taking. What about the students that aren’t interested in the classes they are forced to take. Perhaps the system isn’t working for them.
People get dragged behind
When students don't get to choose what class they want to take and find themselves in a class in which they have no interest, technology becomes an escape and they become lost.
One teacher describes this problem by saying she has to become “...an entertainer. I have to do a song and dance to catch their attention.”(B)
If the student could choose what they want to learn they might be more inclined to tune in. perhaps it is the system that needs to change and not the use of technology.
Counter
The confusion about trying to fit technology into a system that is not compatible with it causes many frustrated reactions. Such as David Gelernter’s statement “But the Web propagandized relentlessly for glitz and pictures, for videos and stylish packaging. And while its full of first-rate information, it is also full of lies….”(D) David may be frustrated because he is trying to put a square peg in a round hole. Perhaps we are trying to insert technology into a system that can’t accept it. Why is Glitz bad? Glitz is just eye catching. That just means that when using technology the topic will be more interesting. Maybe David should take advantage of the glitz and make an interesting class for students that choose to be there.
Conclusion
By allowing students to choose what they want to learn we could alter the current school system which will allow students to be more interested in what they are learning and allow more effective use of technology. Our current school system needs to enter the modern world. And adapt itself to the massive amount of information we have at our fingertips.