“Necessity is the mother of invention.” Richard FranckThe TPACK framework identifies a collection of competencies necessary for mastery of technology use in the classroom. One element of this Venn diagram includes competencies related to technical knowledge - or the knowledge of and ability to use digital technologies. Practitioners of TPACK might suggest that mastery of technology skills would enable an instructor to choose a tool to best accomplish his/her goals.
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| By Matthew Koehler [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons |
I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest alternately, that mastery of technology skills would enable an instructor to critically evaluate a digital technology in terms of what it might be capable of. Where would be if the creators of Google Docs only set out to re-create the overdone wheel of a word processing tool? Thankfully, they envisioned collaboration, citation, use of web resources, etc.
Scientists have proven that humans are inclined to stick with tools that are familiar, regardless of the original intentions of the tool and regardless of options for more effective tools. But, when I think about my four-year-old son’s passion for the phrase, “You’re doing it wrong”, a little oppositional defiance is sparked. My go-to response for him is, “No, I’m just doing it differently.”
So, while those of us in educational technology and instructional design might have “intended” uses for tools and applications; I salute those brave souls who are willing to experiment to see what awesomeness they can elicit.
(Seriously, the instructional designer in me hesitated with this post. Have you had the client who kept trying to get a tool to work in a way NEVER intended and then swore the tool was “broken”? But, in the spirit of encouraging learn-through-play, I hope educators will read this and not feel restricted to only using technology they “know.”)
SQUEEEEeeeeeee! Not only are you and your son adorable - that was GENIUS. I love the way you used spontaneity to capture his authenticity. Plus I guarantee you my son and I will do this some chilly popcorn night this winter. As his young teen laziness gene has kicked in, he will likely call your video a life hack.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to sharing it with him since my original idea had to do with the way we use fabric holders (3+ yard paper towel centers that don't bend) as swords and light sabers.... 14. He was too busy on Discord gaming with his peeps lol He was interested in being involved once I started playing with the Camtasia editor though, so that was great.
Fantastic job Amanda. Your blog content outside the video is brilliant too. I especially loved your statement, "mastery of technology skills would enable an instructor to critically evaluate a digital technology in terms of what it might be capable of." This burgeoning sense of innovation is where our future lies. Even if it's K-3 finding new uses for basic kitchen tools as an exercise in utility, it's design thinking that will help all of humanity stop limiting portions of humanity either directly or indirectly.
For one example, I think of outsourcing tech support to India where outstanding humans are paid 0.125% of what American tech support earn doing the exact same job.... In a global market.
ReplyDeletePayscale.com compares the median in India (translates to $6500/yr) to US (50K) These are some of the most intelligent (and privileged to have access to technology) people in their communities. Who would support that? Yet if we need help with microsoft, we have no choice but to support that paradigm and dial that 800/877#. Insert company here. Outsourcing is primarily something we don't witness like call support - department store clothing factories, shoes, so much of what is consumed...
Meanwhile the percentage of homes in India that have a computer? Less than 7%. Right now the only thing not outselling televisions is refrigerators. Less than a third of homes in India have a fridge.
After those it's washing machines and microwaves, and that is for the well-to-do, where several people are earning high. Only the offspring of the most resourceful and persistent Indians have access to the technology it requires to learn to be an IT worker. If they do, then they'll be earning enough in comparison to others, a very wealthy salary. Five times as much as it takes to live comfortably enough by Indian standards. They would have the appliances and possibly more than one television. Certainly, by the nature of their lives their families are in the 7% who have computers in the home. Rant over.
I apologize.
I loved your blog. I related to your hesitation mentioned in the afterword. When I first started contemplating this assignment I did not want to make a video for public consumption of doing something wrong, even to make a point - it seemed too out of the box... then as my thought process broke through it became exciting as I finally saw that so much of humanity's innovative nature has come from a desire to overcome the way someone else perceives how we should use something.
ReplyDelete"Hold your fork this way." "Color the stems and leaves green or you'll have to start over." It starts early.
My son says "I don't like the way you're doing that." I love your parenting choice to say "...doing it differently". Teachers who say, "you're doing it wrong" might follow your lead and say, "I'd love to see if you can use that differently". This would open up the entire classroom space to creative exploration of tools.
It also gives you or the peer group space to guide them to a more direct usage of the tool, if necessary. Should a student continue to use the bunsen burner to roast marshmallows, a great science guide might say to their lab partner, "Could you possibly show or suggest another use of the tool that has to do with our experiment?" This is an extreme case, but you get the idea :)
Ultimately, you may find your class turning mundane objects into multi-faceted tools that can be put to good use.
Xina - now that my ego won't fit through a doorway, I just wanted to say thanks for the support for this post. I am so jazzed by your idea that a teacher might say 'I'd love to see if you can use that differently.' Wow! It would be amazing to ingenuity rewarded over conformity. Our "first world problems" have truly made us blind to the necessity of creativity. Thank you again for such kind and inspiring words.
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