July 26, 2006: Dr. Bette Gray

This was the final day of classes and it was good that the final speaker brought "hot" topics to the table. Dr. Bette Gray posed a lot of questions making us think about what integration of technology into education should look like and also why it is not happening. There were a number of thought provoking issues that were brought up. One that stands out to me is how history tells a story, but are we listening? Meaning, in history, new thoughts, processes or technologies have come up but have been resisted. Things like when Socrates thought that oral tradition was "better" than the new written way. Then when the Guttenburg press came along, how some thought that the written way was "better" than the new press. How much are these things present today? Comments that I know I have made are: "Face to face is better than technology"... Am I not listening to history?
Integration of technology into education, how does it happen? Why isn't it happening? These are great questions and the Polo parable is a great illustration of what often happens. Banks have seem to integrate why can't education? Education is considered different and it is. I would certainly argue that banks have more ability to change, because they have more "power" to implement and motivate the change. Meaning, if you don't want to change with the bank, you would be let go. It seems that integration of technology is advancing in many areas due to both need and push but is very lacking in education. I would love to leave with this question: Why is there not more preparation at the pre-service level?