Chapter 1 Book Study

Page 3
Quote: "People around the world are taking their education out of school into homes, libraries, internet cafes, and workplaces, where they can decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn, and how they want to learn."

I find this quote meaningful because this is exactly what we, as preservice teachers, are entering into as teachers, as well as what we are going through. Schools aren't completely to the point where students are deciding what and when they learn. However, we are getting closer to students choosing how they want to learn. This can be really beneficial for students because teachers can get a more accurate assessment of what the students are learning, as well as the students actually learning. The book also discusses the fact that students will soon be able to chose what they want to learn. This is happening with homeschools, charter schools, etc. Every day, young students, older students, and adults not in school anymore are learning more and more, and it isn't in a school. It's on the internet. We need to prepare ourselves for more of this, and learn ways to make sure that it stays beneficial, because if technology is really going to replace schools, then we as teachers need to make sure the students are getting an appropriate education, whatever that might be.

Page 6
Quote: "Technology makes life more difficult for teachers."

This is a simple quote, but it sums up everything that I am feeling right now as a preservice teacher. To a student who has a question about a topic, the student can either wait for the teacher to give an answer that he or she may not be sure about, or go online to find the answer, which is more likely going to be for sure correct. This diminishes a teacher's reliability to his or her students. Technology is great for teaching, however, because it offers so many resources that can fit each student's individual learning style. This can have negative effects, though, because a teacher who went to school years ago will have to learn each new tool and not know its full range of benefits or dangers. Also, because technology isn't fully supported academically or financially, a teacher that wants to include more technology in the classroom is left out all alone to support it.

Page 7
Quote: "In particular, the new technologies can undermine both Jefferson's vision of educating citizens who can make sensible public policy decisions and Mann's vision of a society where everyone can succeed by obtaining a public education."

Without schools and structure of a school day (and all that a school day can offer), people will be left on their own to learn. With homeschools, the parents can become qualified to teach. However, it is not a requirement that they do. With online learning, there is an online professor. Most of the work is left up to the student, which is great for learning responsibility and time-management. Unfortunately, online learning is only available to people who have specific interests, or for students who aren't able to attend a school for physical, mental, or behavioral/emotional issue. The other issue with no school is that people will be able to learn what they want to learn. The bad thing about this is that people aren't going to be prepared for if their career path doesn't work out for them. Also, they have to make sure they get the basic knowledge necessary for every day life, like math and science. Schools provide this for us so we do have a chance for success in life.