Discussion 3 - Week 5

Media Will Never Influence Learning
I had mixed feelings about this article. I do agree with some of the previous posts. This article is outdated and technology has changed by leaps and bounds since some of the articles that were cited were written. However, I agree that media can not replace effective instruction. I feel that is sort of the underlying message, even if Clark didn't come out and say it. It doesn't matter what media you use for instruction, if the instruction is not successful/effective, it won't have an effect on learning. However, I do believe that using media to show children things that before were only pictures or descriptions must have some kind of positive influence on learning. We spend a lot of time studying how people learn in different ways, and using different media to reach all those types of learners should influence their learning in my mind. But it still has be used and delivered effectively. I can't say who is right or wrong, but I do believe that effectiveness, whether it be effective instruction or effective use of the media is key in influencing learning.

When Each One Has One
I found this article extremely interesting. I have not had a teaching experience where all students have a computer accessible, nor do I work with an age group that would. However, the first thing I noticed is that the teachers were extensively trained on technology integrating strategies. This is one of the breakdowns between research and real-life. Yes, the research does show a positive impact on learning and different teaching in those classrooms. They had the luxury of giving the teachers intensive training and strategies, whereas most schools who have the money for the technology do not have the time/funds for training. As we have discussed in class, most teachers do not use technology effectively or feel confident on integrating the technology because they have not been trained. Even though the results for the laptop classes showed positive results in the study, again I do not feel that the information is realistic coming from the study. Studies have the luxury of control, and these findings are based on a group of teachers who were trained to use the technology with instruction, and in most cases this is not available. I still strongly believe and feel that teachers need more training if they are going to be continually held accountable to use technology in their classrooms.