Technology and Teachers

Computers are a huge part of society, and a very non-negotiable part. Technology is not a choice, or something that is used for recreational uses only. Computers and the web aren't strictly toys, and not many people can get through a job without having some knowledge of navigating these new-age textbooks. So knowing that students need this education in order to be successful in life after graduation, why would anyone think it acceptable for the educators of the students to be technologically illiterate?





In this blog, Technologically Illiterate, Karl Fisch addresses this issue. After viewing another bloggers rant on the subject, Fisch expresses his own long held-back feelings on the issue. What I don't exactly get is why anyone would think that this material is in any way annoying or unacceptable. Why would any person living in the technology driven world today argue with the fact that teachers need to know how to prepare students for the world? Regardless if someone likes technology or not, it doesn't change the fact that it dominates society and success. So to anyone that thinks that making teachers do they're job correctly is too harsh, GET OVER IT!





Now not all of our 50 years and older ladies and gents in the education department should be expected to go back and get a degree in computer design and graphics. Some sufficiency classes, however, might not be a stretch. Papers should not be hand written when a printer does such a better job. Class time should not be wasted on attempting to read through books to see if the info you need is there, when a simple keyword search can do it in seconds. And how about the blogs, podcasts, and online museums of the web, why not use them to put more information in a child's mind then you could possibly do alone in front of a room for 45-60 minutes a day?





Fisch isn't the only one worried about our students education. Take for instance the Teacher Magazine (keyword: Technologically Illiterate), who also has spent some time wondering, are our teachers ready for this century? Of course times change, they always have and will continue to do so, so why then is it a surprise that teachers should accommodate these changes just like they always have? Bottom line, Being technologically illiterate is not acceptable for teachers. They have a job to do, perhaps the most important in the world, and they have to do so to the best of their ability. As an aspiring teacher, I'm appalled at anyone who wouldn't want to be as prepared as possible when a students education and intellect is in your hands.



Where would our doctors be without the technology breaks we've had in the past 35 years? What about our scientist? Not too mention the substantial progress we've had in evidence collection for our police officers and lawyers. Why should teachers be any different? After all, we are the ones who train the students to become these functioning parts of society. I have to agree, a teacher who can't "get" the technology age, is the same as a teacher not being able to read one hundred years ago.