Reflective #1

Reading response to Alan November's Creating a New Culture of Teaching and Learning


November has made several interesting observations about how technology increases its impact on learning culture. The first point is the validity of information. Since the information on the Internet is easily accessed online from several sources, it tends to be valid because the more occurrences of information is the reliability could be. Internet information can be created quickly as people can type any thing and publish globally in a seconds. It lacks of gatekeeper to validate how the information is trustful but its authoritative feature can make it look reliable.

The second point is about video in the classroom. For the over-concern parents, I would understand how much they care about their kids. How can children grow up mature in the real world, if they parent always keep their eyes over them? Kids may grow up like animals in the cage if school adopts this method claiming for security reason. Having video broadcast from the children classroom may end up with unnecessary check by parents all day long. Let's think about Facebook that many people addict to. Is it necessary to know every minor information and telling your personal activity every hour?

Third point is telling stories. I do agree in the collective information if the professional share what they have invented from the study. Research inquiries produce rich information which is valuable investigating. It may not entertaining to read and write research, but in knowledge development it is necessary.

The next point in the forth is technology plan. Each organization has the plan to invest on technology to enhance the efficiency of the works. What we need to think about is making the decision together but not leaving all responsibility and power in the hand of the administrator who hold the money. When I worked in Thailand in 2004-2008, the technology and equipment were purchased by the president who from the purchasing committees from the department heads under his team. Teacher who actually used the would know and learn about their tools after had been purchased. I would like to suggest the procurement committee to include the actual people and user to make the decision together.

This fifth point on automating VS informating is the most important aspect I would like to deliberate. Higher education is rushing online because of the coverage it can makes globally and large number of students can also be offered. It looks like the colonization happening in education system which students seems to be the products from the same standard model. If the system can make teach faster and create students as much similar as it can be, this could be the standard that institution can make. However, I would like to add that students needs to know how to use technology to make them learn as the other can learn previously. They need the learning process that makes their knowledge created in their thoughts.

The final point is collegiality which makes teacher be able to learn collectively from each other and the student. Learning in the team enhances the mutual understanding from different point of view in dealing with the problematic situation. Learning organization is the best term that we need to thin about in adopting technology into the educational system.

==========================================