"Tools for the Mind" Mary Burns
II. Overview
This article was about teachers using and implementing technology into the clasroom, what sort of technology tools are commonly used, to what extent they are utilized, and potential ways to implement deeper understandings through using technology. The article states "schools have conflated technology use with instructional quality." Some of the most common uses of technology are power points, word processing, Internet, Publishing, Web editors, spreadsheets, databases, and emails. The author then states why these tools aren't being utilized and follows up with examples and ideas for utilizing technology in the classroom to promote higher level thinking.
III. Bulleted Reference Points
- online collaboration
- content- oriented simulations
- spreadsheets
- databases
- higher order thinking skills
- critical thinking
- thinking inductively
- thinking deductively
- geographic information systems
IV. Reflection & Significance to me
This article was interesting to read due to the simplicity of the argument. I can see how teachers are not utilizing technology to inspire critical thinking. However, I don't believe that the goal of many schools or teachers in general is to motivate students to critical thinking. Reflecting on the educational system that I grew up in, this goal was certainly not prevalent. I see a focus and a trend in some of the classes that I am currently enrolled in to focus on the outcome of the learning, through education. I don't really see a focus toward higher level thinking at the middle shcool level. Perhaps I am thinking about higher level thinking at a middle school level in too complex of terms. In my understanding, students are directed to take information, recite, remember, use, know, understand, and use in daily life in order to achieve higher level thinking. In which case, yes, sometimes this is achieved at the middle school level.
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