Should curriculum drive technology or Should technology drive curriculum?

(azee, me and aisyah)

Today’s class started off by Professor Dr Raja showing us some pictures that she managed to capture during her school visit in Sarawak last week. Well, she loves sharing pictures with us, which I think is a good method instead of showing us a wordy text at the very beginning of the lesson. But what amazed me was that when I saw those pictures, I could see that schools as rural as in Sarawak have already been equipped with technology tools to enhance students’ learning. Guess, our Ministry of Education has really taken so many steps forward in integrating technology into school curriculum in order to prepare Malaysian citizen for the real world.

Then, Prof has given the title above as an issue to be brought up in our post, which I am doing right now. Well, when I heard this phrase, my mind simply reflected my previous post on ‘technology can support a vision but it cannot be the vision’. So, I said to myself, “Hey, I have come across this before!” Thus, that gave me a wonderful feeling that I firmly answered “Curriculum should drive technology!” And these are the reasons why.

When I searched on the net for some resources to post this blog, I came across ‘NETS’, which is National Education Technology Standards, which is planted to a belief that the world is changing in ways that require learning environments to change to prepare students to meet the challenges of the future. I think this is absolutely true that we can see now; computer is now being integrated into the teaching of many subjects in schools. Even, music lesson is implemented with the aids of LCD projector and a laptop. In my opinion, the word ‘integrate’ itself has symbolized that technology is standing-in as a tool to promote purposeful, engaging learning, by which it enables students to learn in ways previously impossible. So, as we have stepped towards a new era of globalization, this technology should be integrated so that our students are learning in accordance to the new culture. For example, computers, being the dearest technology tools to students now should be a means to reach instructional objectives in the classroom. But as much importance technology is to our lives, we should not let it drive curriculum. Instead, all the curriculum decision should be supported by some technology-based materials.

Teachers, on the other hand, are encouraged to use technology to assist their roles as teachers, for it gives ways for them to be the facilitators of learning and for students to direct their own learning, as well as to build knowledge collaboratively. Teachers, must try by all means to be a computer-using teacher, by which, computers are regarded as a teaching partner, not the object of study. But as much this issue has been raised up, the question ‘how familiar should the teacher be with the technology?’ came into my mind. To be frank, I am still frail at using technology which I think will create anxiety when I go teaching later. So take this simple analogy, driving is comparable to operating computers. You don’t need to know how the engine works, how to repair the car or even how to buy cars to make you know how to drive. To be able to drive, you need to know how to operate the car and understand the road signs. As the driver gains more experience in driving, the level of confidence will increase. The same thing goes to computers; a basic skill is necessary in order to be successful. You don’t need to know how to repair a computer or to know how the computer works to make you know how to use it but rather you should know how to use and operate it effectively in the classroom. Overtime, you will become more experienced and confident in operating it. So, that gave me an idea that even though my knowledge of computer is still superficial, at least I possess the basic knowledge of how to make it work. And that will help me gain more confidence when I teach later.

So, my conclusion, technology should be integrated into curriculum to give paths to students to learn in a global way, but not letting the technology to drive curriculum. Well, you don’t want to stop teaching if there is a blackout in your school, right?

Akhir kata, to all my Muslim blog readers: Selamat berbuka puasa!!!

References:

http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/antifaiff/antifaiff.htm

http://telr.osu.edu/research/pedagogy.pdf

http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_integration.html

http://www.ipenz.org.nz/ipenz/forms/pdfs/Info_Note_7.pdf#search=%22curriculum%20should%20drive%20technology%20or%20technology%20should%20drive%20curriculum%22

http://www.edtech.sandi.net/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=196#search=%22curriculum%20should%20drive%20technology%20or%20technology%20should%20drive%20curriculum%22