Week 1 - Critical Digital Pedagogy

"We need to proceed with our eyes wide open so that we may use technology rather than be used by it." - Neil Postman


When we become distracted by the flash of the newest technology and is features, there is a danger that we become pawns in a capitalistic enterprise that, by design, widens the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Education is the great equalizer within our democracy and, as educators, we are charged with bridging the gap toward opportunity, achievement and success. We must think critically about how and why we utilize technology in our classrooms, ensuring it not only supports, but empowers our students, particularly our most vulnerable. 

In The Innovator’s Mindset, George Couros writes, “if we want our students to be designers, thinkers, creators, and leaders, we must first realize that having them regurgitate information on a piece of paper or even on a computer will achieve nothing more than compliance.” (Couros, 2015, p. 206) I challenge my educator colleagues to consider their use of technology in the classroom in the same way. In what ways are we using our smartboards and document cameras? Are they to simply replace the overhead projector with PowerPoint presentations, notes for students to copy and facts to memorize, or are we using these tools to support students with metacognitive processes, collaboration, ownership of learning and critical thinking? Consider OneNote Class Notebook by Microsoft, is it used as a paperless binder to store worksheets and tests, thereby benefiting the environment, and most likely a budget, but costing student development of higher order thinking and questioning skills? According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, high level thinking involves analysis synthesis and evaluation and, in this rapidly changing technological, global world, higher order thinking skills are more important than ever. Artificial intelligence, like translators, dictation tools and immersive readers, are a perfect examples of tech tools that have enormous power to bridge the gap for students who are struggling readers and writers or working in a new/second language. The teacher's caution here is that the tools support, not replace instruction. We must maintain accountability to design and facilitate learning experiences for whatever the technology is being used to enhance. For example, a child struggling with reading can benefit greatly from an immersive reader,allowing them to learn content and participate fully when they might have otherwise faced difficult barriers. However, that same child still needs instruction specific to them, based on their strengths and challenges to continue to learn, gain and deepen literacy skills. For English language learners, translators now have the ability to translate in real time. Never before have language learners been able to participate so fully, inclusively and meaningfully in classroom discussions. But translating cannot replace language learning and the productive struggle that comes with the thinking processes involved.

We live in exciting times with incredible advancements in technology that are moving at a rapid pace. There is great potential to benefit student learning and allow us, as educators, to personalize and meaningfully engage with our students in new and innovative ways. But when the 3:30 bell rings, we must remind ourselves that we are teachers and we are responsible to reflect and carefully consider the pedagogy, practices and tools we employ, ensuring our efforts empower our students and move their learning forward.



Sources:

Couros, G. (2015). The innovators mindset: Empower learning, unleash talent, and lead a culture of creativity. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting.

https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-au/2019/01/artificial-intelligence-in-the-classroom/

https://www.teachthought.com/learning/what-is-blooms-taxonomy-a-definition-for-teachers/

https://thesecondprinciple.com/teaching-essentials/beyond-bloom-cognitive-taxonomy-revised/

 Morris, S. M., & Stommel, J. (2018). An urgency of teachers: the work of critical digital pedagogy. Hybrid Pedagogy Inc. Available at https://urgencyofteachers.com/

Postman, N. (1998). Five things we need to know about technological change [Speech transcript]. Retrieved from https://www.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~cs492/papers/neil-postman--five- things.html



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