Is Google the new McDonald's?

There are many implications for technology in the 21st century generally, and in the realm of education specifically. One of the final questions we are addressing in the 518 Technology in the Classroom course looks at sourcing technology to schools as a single educational offering.  Microsoft has already been largely successful at having their software be the most-used in schools nationwide, and certainly Apple has tried to make inroads with their computers and tablets. Now Google is getting in on the game. They are offering schools not just the hardware, laptops and tablets, but a full spectrum of software. They hope to provide all the necessary classroom management tools that teachers will need as well as the applications that students will need. There is something very alluring about this single product opportunity. It promises to streamline everything to maximize communication and efficiency. On the other side of the coin, (the "dark" side, perhaps) there are many concerns that are raised about this "single product for everything and everyone" system. It would be incredibly unwise to push aside what we know to be true about the true purpose for companies in this capitalist society, and that is the bottom line. Sure, Google wants to make people's educational experience better, but what they really want is to sell you stuff. And everyone who studies economics and culture know that it's best to hook people while they're young. Just like McDonald's aims to snag lifetime customers at a very early age with their salty, fatty, sweet, comes-with-a-toy-happy meals, so Google is hoping to get loyal users as young as possible. Google has had numerous issues with their privacy policy, and that concern should be doubled when it comes to our children.

Gamification in Society and in the Classroom

A couple of years ago, my sons made some new friends. After picking them up from a play date, they told me that their new friend, Stephen, had a diamond pickax. I was a little surprised by that and commented that it surely must be pretend. They told me that, no, it was a real diamond pickax. I then asked exactly what that meant, and said that there must be diamonds on the handle. They told me that the pickax wasn't made of diamonds, but was used to mine diamonds. Incredulously, I asked why a 10 year old would have a real ax and why they would need one for mining. Exasperated, my 8 year old said, "Mom, it's for Minecraft."

Oh, Minecraft.

Yes, at this point I had been hearing many strange conversations that did not make sense to me from my boys and their friends. These conversations took place while they were using their tablets, when they were in the back of the car after school, while they were on the basketball court. Many months went by before I finally caught on that Minecraft was the subject of all of their conversations.

As a parent and a teacher, I have had many, many conversations about the impact of current digital technologies, including the many apps and games that children play. However, despite some of my concerns, I have had something of a deterministic point of view. The use of these devices and the gaming that goes along with them seems inevitable.

Several of the articles I read for this week are related to gamification. I think it's an exceptional idea for libraries to include gaming as part of their content. One of the articles from NPR talked with several libraries which claimed to have seen an increase in their circulation since they have incorporated on-site gaming. There are many people who, because of the Digital Divide, do not have consistent or quality access to the internet. That libraries can offer that aspect to them is laudable. Some opponents of using libraries for gaming claim that libraries should not be treated as community centers and that they should be places for intellectual/scholarly pursuits. I find this notion preposterous. My own public library offered a free class on wreath-making this past weekend. Is that an intellectual pursuit? No, but, for some, it's a valuable one. If libraries have to claim an intellectual or scholarly pursuit, then much of the books, fiction and non-fiction alike, along with videos, music and games would have to be removed from the library.

As for gamification in school, I love the sound of figuring out how to use games in a real context in a school environment. I am on the same page, however, as Joey Lee and Jessica Hammer from Teachers College Columbia University who say, "[we] must know what problems we are trying to fix, design systems that fix those specific problems, develop ways of evaluating whether those fixes work, and sustain those fixes over time," in their article, "Gamification in Education: What, How, Why Bother?" We cannot simply start adding new technologies into classrooms without understanding what we're doing and why. As it is, many studies have found that many educators are being required to add technology components to their classrooms, yet don't have the knowledge or experience to teach using those technologies, or troubleshoot them. 

Additionally, I think that we are making a huge mistake as a culture when we try and frame all aspects of life through a single lens -- that of technology. There are many valuable things that students learn in school, and I don't think we should replace them all with technology-driven curriculum. I do think that educators do need to constantly look at what they  are teaching and why, and revise their practices to meet the goals, standards and needs of the students they teach.

Podcasts, I-movies, and You-tube

There are so many ways to reach a greater audience these days. One of the aspects of current technologies that I love so much is the variety of media with which to express ideas. Using voice and video recordings are two excellent ways to break out of the norm for content.

I am a verbal/linguistic learner, so the written word has always had a strong influence on me. On the contrary, I find my students leaning much more heavily towards being visual learners.

There is no doubt that the increased availability of voice and video recording has made it so that anyone can post...anything, really.

There are countless ways I have used the available content for my own personal purposes. Just last night, I watched four different you-tube videos about how to fix my hair in a style that's called a "messy bun." I was able to pick the video that came closest to what I was looking for and watch and re-watch it until I had the information I was seeking. I have been using both podcasts and videos to teach myself how to play a ukulele.

As a student, one of the aspects of the Technology 518 course that I have liked more than any other course I have taken so far is the weekly podcast recordings. I am a distance learner, so all my courses are online. While there are many advantages and conveniences to this method of learning, there are also drawbacks. I much prefer the opportunity for class discussions and interaction. Though Dr. Tryon's lectures do not allow for verbal discussions, the recorded lecture does mimic the in-class lecture, an aspect that I find lends personalization to the course.