Journal Article Review #1

By: Katie Haley

New Tools for Learning in a New Millennium

By: Ferdi Serim, Editor Multimedia Schools

This article focuses on the use of technology in schools and how many teachers keep technology out of their classrooms in order to avoid controversy. Teachers who are not familiar with technology may be opposed to integrate it into their curriculum because it entails new learning for the teacher as well. Serim mentions how the old core courses in education; Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic are now changing into Researching, Communicating, and Problem-Solving. Due to the change in the nature of curriculum, teachers who are not willing to incorporate technology in to the classroom are sacrificing their student’s educational potential. Serim introduces the metaphor, “a car in the jungle”, in order to describe the importance of appropriately understanding classroom technology. “Without vision, it’s a ride to nowhere”, is the phrase used to describe technology that is misunderstood because if one does not understand the purpose then the true potential cannot be learned. Finally, the key to making technology effective in school curriculum is to get users and developers of technology on the same page so that we can make the most of our available resources.

I think this article is an example of the importance of change in education. I do see the cores of education changing and we must be able to keep up. I can understand how many teachers are opposed to change in the classroom however teachers must be willing to have an open mind in order to get the most out of their students. Serim made a comment in this article that I find very important, “It allows us to shift our energies from doing more of what doesn’t work into discovering what will work to meet the needs of our students in a society that is itself in transformation.” I think Serim hit the nail right on the head with that statement. Many teachers keep the same lesson plans year in and year out and don’t change. Not all students thrive with the average lesson plan set up. Some students may benefit from the variety of technologies available, especially students with special needs. If teachers keep an open mind and constantly strive to learn and keep teaching fresh and modern, I think students will in turn strive as well.