In considering the early history of educational technology one cannot help but consider the works of B.F. Skinner. His experimentation and study of human behavior not only
contributed to the field of psychology but to the field of education as well. More specifically, his investigation into the way in which children learn in the classroom was
perhaps one of the first glimpses of educational technology. Skinner’s Teaching machine, as it was called, created an opportunity for students to receive immediate
feedback about their understanding of what they were being taught. They could be immediately reinforced for correct answers and be made aware of wrong answers at
a must faster pace than waiting for the teacher’s feedback or waiting for their paper to be graded. This type of technology in the classroom while exciting and new was
met with some skepticism. Society was perhaps not yet ready for a new way of learning and considered this type of learning experimental and impersonal and the cost of such machines made it impossible for wide speed use. Despite initial resistance, however, B.F. Skinner patented his Teaching Machine in 1958. And thus, educational technology was born. Fast forward sixty years later and technology-enhanced learning environments (TELE’s) are part of the growing trend to incorporate more technology in the teaching and learning process in support of STEM education (Wang, 2005). Perhaps Skinner was just ahead of his time.
What place do computers have in our classrooms and will they take the place of the human workforce? Teachers have forever been pillars of our society. After all, everyone working today was once taught a teacher. But what if, the future holds a different perspective? This week we looked at how students learn and how technology can support individual needs. Computers and advanced technology have certainly taken a front seat when it comes to assessing and meeting the needs of the individual learner. Computers can assess for understanding, adjust curriculum based on progress and remediate skills at lightning speed. In addition, immediate feedback technology provides is a fundamental concept in the behavioral theory of learning.
Indeed, behaviorism as a component of educational technology makes sense since behaviorist theories put the student in the center of learning. Since the very essence of educational technology is to meet the needs of the learner this seems to be the perfect fit. As an instructional designer “The developer of an instructional medium must know exactly what response is desired from the students, otherwise it is impossible to design and evaluate instruction. Once the response is specified, the problem becomes getting the student to make this appropriate response. This response must be practiced and the learner must be reinforced to make the correct response to this stimulus”(Burton, 2004).
Much discussion has been had about the effects of computers in the classroom. While some are for and some are against the dominance of computers in the classroom, others like Larry Cuban and Ivan Illich believe that a happy medium will best serve our students and classrooms through cooperation, collaboration, and direct teacher guidance. In other words, we can have both computers and teachers in classrooms. To be the most effective, teachers will need to infuse technology into their lessons and determine where technology can be best used. While applying key concepts learned or evaluating learned skills?
Further, In the article “The dubious promise of educational technologies: Historical patterns and future challenges” by Larry Cuban and Petar Jandric, the two suggest that not only are there society expectations about teaching and learning but there is also misinformation and lack of training and support which stand in the way of the effective use of educational technology in the classroom. “The gap in use of computers between school and home for teachers may be related to the above point and also linked to the lack of relevant software, on-site technical assistance, and lack of first-hand evidence that students will achieve more academically with electronic devices.” (Cuban 2015.) So to truly advance the direction of educational technology in the classroom proponents must not only provide the technology but make it relevant and useful for both the instructors and the students. Perhaps this is just another form of a roadblock that B.F. Skinner experienced in 1958. The technology is available, but out of reach for some to bring into the home or for schools to supply the support or training for educators.
Lastly, Seymour Papert’s Book Mindstorms adds a final element to this discussion. He says, “Two fundamental ideas run through this book. The first is that it is possible to design computers so that learning to communicate with them can be a natural process, more like learning French by living in France than like trying to learn it through the unnatural process of American foreign-language instruction in classrooms.
Second, learning to communicate with a computer may change the way other learning takes place”. And thus, not only must one consider the presence of technology in the classroom but it affects both the learner and the learning. If students learn in different ways, then the way in which we teach them will look different. A circular
argument indeed for an ever-growing field that should be personal, fluid, and flexible to change to meet the needs of its consumer (adaptive learning).
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David Brodosi is a senior-level specialist that leads strategic technological innovations and operations for teaching, learning, and instructional design at the USFSP. David Brodosi serves as a point of connection between teaching, pedagogy, and the use of current and emerging technologies across classrooms, online courses, active learning labs, and other learning environments. Direct oversight of instructional design, videography, AV, and technology services personnel. As the department lead, David ensures that the University’s investments in teaching and learning technologies enable, inform, and serve continuous and innovative fulfillment of the University’s teaching and learning mission.
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