Within 21C learning there exists a rock and a hard place. It is this:
Where is the balance of using tech tools to support learning, vs replacing old learning with technology.
At some point in history people had to say "Hey, let's stop using papyrus and let's use this modern paper stuff" which I'm sure someone said was unnecessary. At another I'm sure someone said "hey, this wooden pencils with these leads, let's use those...they're better" and we did.
So, at what point will we stop using some of the "older" technologies and replace them with the new.
Someone said to me recently that "handwriting is on it's way out", but then a colleague of mine conducted some research which showed that when kids write vs computer type their quality was better written. So, will handwriting be replaced by word processing? If so, what are the consequences?
Some said spelling was one of them, but we were still in that phase of the industrial revolution where we did not have something to do that for us. Now we do. We know that a computer will do our spelling for us.
I understand that kids should know how to spell, but if it is being done for them can we use the time that WAS used for a spelling program to devote to things that are more relevant to their lives.
Another criticism is the hand muscle control. This one I can agree with, as my handwriting skills are TERRIBLE and played video games and lot as a kid. I also used word processing a fair bit, so it seems that there may be some relevance here based on my person experience.
Handwriting is just one of the things that technology may slowly replace. Are there others? perhaps more to blog about later.
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