Post # 2

The important theme after reading Oppenheimer, the NET-S standards, and Tech Tonic article is priority.  Oppenheimer said, “In a poll taken in early 1996, teachers ranked computer skills and media technology as more ‘essential’ than the study of European history, biology, chemistry and physics” (Oppenheimer 49).  As a nation, school districts need to realize concepts need to be taught to the students and then learning tools such as technology can be incorporated into the classrooms.  Oppenheimer also mentioned schools are not receiving enough help and are expecting teachers, who are not trained to use technology in their classrooms.  As I stated prioritizing is an important factor for success in technology; first teachers need to be given assistance, take classes to become informed about computers, and then be allowed planning periods in order to create an effective lesson for students. 

                As stated in the Tech Tonic article and NET-S standards, I feel technology should not be taking the place of core subjects and instead should be used as supplement material and provide students with enrichment or re-teaching of activities.  I feel the NET-S standards also address the ideas of using critical thinking in the classrooms, learn to collaborate ideas, and apply Bloom’s Taxonomy into students’ learning.  NET-S standards also provide teachers with the skills to make learning the concepts a priority, but also provide opportunities to incorporate technological tools in the classrooms.

                Continuing with the theme of prioritizing I feel the Tech Tonics articles gets to this point in the beginning of the article.  The article states ten steps to develop a new conscious of technology literacy and also states seven key reforms to foster technology reform.  The most important part of teaching is making sure students have a home and school connections and the administrators, parents, teachers, and students need to work together to foster technology appropriate for students’ growth.  Tech Tonics makes a reference that teachers and students need to be guided and mentored into introducing technology into the classrooms and this is the main argument Oppenheimer argued for in his book.  In the Tech Tonics article it states, “we must give our children and youth the full opportunity to get to know themselves through play, the arts, and hands-on learning, so that they have a solid sense of self” (Tech Tonics 10).  I feel it is very important for students to be involved in their learning and have the opportunities to communicate with each other and use technology as supplement material. 

                To sum up I feel Oppenheimer’s NET-S standards and Tech Tonics are presenting information to realize the priority needed in order to implement technology into the classroom.  Teachers need to be trained and then be able to guide their students learning.  Technology should not be replacing basic education and instead should be used as extra material to re-teach or enrich student learning.  Finally, traditional learning, using hands-on learning, and collaboration should not be replaced by using technology to teach concepts and priority needs to be taken in great consideration for this idea to work.