technology evaluation in the classroom

What is technology?

technology plural technologies ) (1) the study of or a collection of techniques. (2) a particular technological concept (3) the body of tools and other implements produced by a given society. wiktionary

Technology is a word that is made of two greek words. Techne and Logos. Techne is the Greek word for Art. Logos is the Greek word for "reasonable language" or "reasoning about". Therefore a direct translation might be "the reasonable language of art" or "reasoning about art"

reasoning about art

So this is not confusing we might substitute the word "technique" for art. For example, a technique which is an "art form" even though it is quite technical in nature. The resulting literal definition might then be "reasoning about techniques." Technology is therefore "thinking about the best way to do things" Eric (eric@tekblog.net) on wiktionary discussion

thinking about the best way to do things

Etymology of these both words is more complicated than that. Techne (also spelled tekhne) means art as in skill or craft (if we want to see a difference between art and skill). Logos means "language", "reason", "reasoning", or even "world". Also, technology isn't just "thinking", it is also constructing and manipulating the world.

Martin Heidegger saw technology as a mode of thinking where everything that is, is seen from the perspective of manipulation. He said this is the prevailing mode of thinking today. Nikke on wiktionary discussion

The enframing is not machines and it is not techno-logical, it is rather the true essence of technology. The enframing is the gathering that reveals the being of man, in this technological age, as the being who orders the entities of the world as standing reserve. It is what reveals the being of man as orderer, and in turn reveals the other entities of the world as ordered. Enframing is the mode of revealing that holds sway, that is to say it is the mode that is chief and unassailable in the essence of modern technology. James Michael Taylor - The Question Concerning Heidegger: Technology and Being, a Deeper Understanding http:// www.webcom.com/~paf/hlinks/techlinks.html

Martin Heidegger saw technology as a mode of thinking where everything that is, is seen from the perspective of manipulation. He said this is the prevailing mode of thinking today. Nikke on wiktionary discussion

everything is seen from the perspective of manipulation

What technologies are in use in this room?

Which technologies enable? Which technologies disable?

for who? (whom?)

in which situations?

evaluating

How do we analyze the gap between a student’s present technique…

… and the “best way” to manipulate the world to accomplish a task?

Stop thinking through the “deficit model”

Start thinking “strengths and issues”

pre-made Start Point

and circular thinking What is actually happening?

Information Gathering

Look across all activities What is working? What is not? What are the best times? What are the worst? Best places? Worst places?

Look across all activities Best times? Worst times? Best medium? Worst medium? Most engaging? Least engaging?

Remember, “technology” is everything… the room, the building, the chairs, the desks, the schedule, the books…

WATI “plus”

plus? times of day kinds of light reaction to sounds skin sensitivity personal space need for movement…

So, you are looking for every situation where the tool and the student are a bad match.

But you are also looking for what tools are effective

Always looking to find strengths which might help leap over problems – with the right tool.

Reading

Look for knowledge of alphabet symbol recognition sight-word recognition phonological awareness phonemic awareness

A a a A a a A 

drink drill full fall twist twirl

Add or subtract sounds of first or last letter of word? cat – c = ? at + h = ?

Break words into sounds?

Tools index card text-to-speech (free) text-to-speech (paid) audiobooks altered type

Writing

Look for physical capabilities (pen/mouse/keypad/voice) code capabilities (alphabet/QWERTY) word knowledge

Look for sentence construction paragraph construction ability to tell a story understanding write/speak divide

Keyboarding speed Keyboarding dexterity Handwriting efficiency Handwriting legibility

Ability to find letters on keyboard Ability to remember how to form letters

What keyboard/keypad is best?

What is vocabulary Ability to speak in complete sentences

Ability to tell coherent stories Ability to read own writing

Tools Alternative keyboards keypads (real/virtual) Speech Recognition Twitter or TodaysMeet Audio/Video

Tools VoiceThread Inspiration/Webspiration Text-to-speech for editing Online Audiences

Attention

Look for what holds attention what most distracts return to task/not physical location physical position

Look for audio environment lighting environment place in room pre-class environment tools at hand

Attention is not “gaze” - which is the standard definition in schools

Attention is not single focus - multitasking is a basic human skill

Attention is closely connected to comfort

Attention is based in interest and relevance “duh”

Attention is developmentally different for children raised with different technologies

Tools Easing pre-task environment Creating comfort Creating Relevance Interest-based curriculum “Acceptable fidgits”

Tools Seating/Standing Clothing Tools – Computers - Tablets - Mobiles Escapes

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