[Untitled illustration of a child sitting on a computer with no internet access.]. Red 2030. https://red2030.com/la-educacion-un-ano-despues-de-la-covid-brecha-digital-y-educativa/
In this week’s class, we have seen different frameworks and models. The first one is the TPACK MODEL, which reflects on the knowledge (content, pedagogical and technological) teachers need in order to introduce ICTs in their classes; We have also seen the SAMR MODEL, process to be followed to improve the integration of ICTs and to assess how they are used; Bloom’s taxonomy, which categorizes learning objectives and, finally, Michael, our professor, has introduced us to the DigCompEdu, the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators, which helps us as a guide to introduce technological tools in our classes. But in this post I will not talk exactly about this, nor about how precious or important it is, though I do not deny it.
First, I want to apologise in case any of you have already spoken on this subject. The truth is that lately I do not find the time to do everything I am supposed to do, and there are many of your entries that I have not been able to read. Sorry about that, guys.
During this week’s class our classmate Billy, I am sure you all know him, told us about his experience as a teacher and how difficult it can be sometimes to introduce technology into the classroom. And it got me thinking, yes, it is very nice, but resources do not always exist.
This is the second post in a row in which I mention the pandemic still, I do not know how it has been for the rest, for me a lot has changed. Okay, okay, the pandemic has highlighted the need we have in this country (and I suppose in others, but I am going to focus on my context) for technological development in education. This is great, it is true that both teachers and students need technological knowledge, and I feel DigCompEdu can be very useful in this as we can know what level we have, the level we want to reach, what we need to know and be able to evaluate ourselves.
However, are we just going to assume that the only problem was the lack of technological knowledge? No one remembers headlines like the following?
Mas, A., (2020). La educación online no llega a todos los alumnos. La Vangurdia.https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/formacion/20200414/48495012419/educacion-online-no-llega-todos-alumnos.html
Not a hater, really, although I seem like one lately. I am more than OK with the technology-in-education boom, it is true that it is a step forward, an improvement from which we can get many good things but now it seems that with technology everything is more beautiful and new and then more innovative, so it must better for students. But what about the students who do not have enough resources? Are all our students going have Internet at home? Do they also have their own computer to do all the work that seems to be currently proposed through it?
I understand why we have to acquire this technological knowledge, in my view educators must be the guides, so we have to go a step further, make changes and control them, but has the time really come? Do we have the resources to do it properly without creating a greater gap than the one that already exists among students?
For example, personally, the idea of the blog does not seem to me a totally bad idea to make them write from time to time, to expand what could be done traditionally and capture a greater attention and engagement on their part but, will they be able to carry it out?
Some may argue that one possible solution may be to limit this type of activity to the time spent in the classroom but, do all schools have these resources?
The use of ICT tools with an educational purpose is brilliant, more than that, it is a change that cannot be stopped but, are we ready to do this fast? Are we ready to deprive some students of their right to learn equally? Is this situation not ‘pretty’ enough to be discussed?
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