Week 5 - Technology Technology Technology

The Victorian Internet was a really intriguing way to approach the idea of “new” technology while it can help us do something in a different way, the process of adopting and integrating the technology into society can be very similar across time. With the telegraph we were able to see how it’s adoption compared to the internet/computers etc… and how these generalizations about technology aren’t all that different from the way new technologies are embraced today. 

    With my own practice, this book really reminded me that it can be really exciting to try and embrace new technology in the classroom but the foundation of teaching should come from lesson design rather than excitement over something flashy and new to use. In reading several of the stories it made me aware of how much is misunderstood about new technologies and how it takes time to fully understand their potential (or ineffectiveness). In addition I think that learning about various design principles over the past few weeks has also been helpful when faced with the desire to include new tools in your teaching practice. It’s important to make sure you’re focusing on learning goals rather than the flashy new thing that will only temporarily engage students for awhile and may not even help to reach your goals.