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By Dr. David Freitas and Dr. Janet Buckenmeyer
The New Year is a traditional time to reflect on the past, contemplate the present, and dream about the future. So this month we share some of our favorite quotes written about educational technology from the past 25 to 75 years. The authors’ “wisdom” spans the gamut from erringly enlightened, astonishingly naïve, unintentionally humorous, and in one case, just plain wrong. Enjoy revealing snapshots from our (r)evolutionary history.
73 Years Ago – Our U.S. Congress: Still Asking Some of the Same Questions Today
“Although education is one of our major activities, with a fourth of the American population attending school and with a budget which uses up more tax money in normal times than any other single outlay, education has been slow to adopt mechanical innovations. Yet, may one not imagine for a moment what might be done, if the average elementary school teacher, instead of talking herself about the lesson or depending on the textbook, should step to the rear of the classroom and switch on the televisor, or a talking moving picture program? By it she could present to the children a speaking, colored, moving, perhaps depth-showing image, striking life-like, of one of the best teachers in the land, of a great scientist performing experiments as he talked about them to the children, an artist drawing, and explaining why he drew as he did, a musician, statesman, inventor, capitalist, or handicraftsman demonstrating his work.”
“How long it would be before such a prospect could be realized on an extensive scale, no one can tell.”
Ogburn, W. (c1938). Technological trends and national policy. Washington: The Public Affairs Committee, 75th Congress, House Document 360.
66 Years Ago – A Harbinger Of Things To Come
“A fascinating new hobby looms in the taking of ‘sound snapshots’. In a storage space no larger than a photo album you can pack perhaps 50 hours of sound snapshots. Even letter writing can be accomplished by sound track rather than pen and ink.”
“Dwindling numbers of children of school age will modify the demand for teachers. Just as important is the tremendous advance anticipated in visual education methods: lessons by television from central broadcasts, sound movies . . . “
Cooley, D. (1944) Your world tomorrow. New York: Essential Books.
48 Years Ago – Have We “Accumulated” Enough Evidence Yet?
“Teaching machines appear to be here to stay. They have many important implications for the future of education.”
“Many educators wonder whether these machines are just an educational fad. The answer to this question is obviously a matter of opinion and not one of fact, since evidence will have to be accumulated for several years to come.”
Stolurow, L. (1962). Teaching by machine. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of Education.
43 Years Ago – Professorial Prognostications (The Horace Mann Lecture Gone Awry)
“The argument contained in this essay is divided into three parts: first, that changes in the teachers’ work resulting from the growth of educational technology will not be as dramatic, and will not occur as rapidly, as many of the headline-making predictions would have us believe; second, that several of the educational benefits alleged to accompany technological change will either fail to materialize or, at best, will prove to be mixed blessings; and third, that although the expanded use of machines in the classroom poses some unique problems for educators, a more fundamental question concerns the extent to which a mechanistic ideology should be allowed to permeate our view of the educational process.”
Jackson, P. (1968) The teacher and the machine (Horace Mann lecture of 1967). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
42 Years Ago – Timeless Insight
“Learning is something everybody does for himself, building on his own understandings and needs, at a rate determined by his abilities and motivations. Ideally, each student should have his own personal track. The computer and other newer education media offer this opportunity. The new media can give us a ‘window on the world,’ an educational system capable of bringing the best, the most real, and the widest range of experience to the student.”
Howe, H. (1968). Picking up the options. Washington: Department of Elementary School Principals, National Education Association.
28 Years Ago – Apocalyptical Mayhem?
“According to some futurists, the computer revolution our society is currently experiencing is but a tremor, presaging a worldwide upheaval that could transform our entire civilization. Such futurists envision a cataclysmic change in lifestyle, family structure, work habits, and education emanating out of technological breakthroughs.”
Coburn, P., Kelman, P. & Roberts, N. (1982) A Practical guide to computers in education. Reading, MA : Addison-Wesley, 1982.
27 Years Ago – How Much Longer We Will Have To Wait?
“By the year 2000, many will not yet be ready to avail themselves of all its (new information technology) benefits, but the rising generation will be eager and will not fear to use what is around them, which will offer them learning opportunities seldom imagined by previous generations.”
Hawkridge, D. (1983). New information technology in education. Baltimore, Md. : Johns Hopkins University Press.
As we reflect on these quotes, a few reactions emerge.
Appropriately integrating technologies in schools was a dream envisioned nearly a century ago. Even though the technology then was less sophisticated (“televisor” and “talking moving pictures”), the thought of teachers sharing the classroom “stage” with experts appearing via technology was remarkably perceptive and pedagogically innovative for the time (see Ogburn’s quote above).
One line from Ogburn’s 73 year-old comments is particularly relevant - “How long it would be before such a prospect [using technology in schools] could be realized on an extensive scale, no one can tell”. Unfortunately, no one can tell when we will have full technology integration “on an extensive scale”, even today! (Will it be another 73 years?)
Think about the technological advancements our society has enthusiastically accepted and broadly embraced over the last century, the last decade, and even the last few years. At the same time, our public schools’ response has seriously paled in comparison.
This phenomenon is certainly not due to a lack of visionaries, as evidenced by these and other quotes permeating our history. Nevertheless, there continues to be, even after all this time, a quantum disconnect between rhetoric and results.
A small percentage of exemplary projects in our nation, though praiseworthy, disguise our progress toward full technology integration in all schools. This mask must be unveiled to reveal a system unwilling or unable to achieve this ambitious goal. Until we confront this reality and slay it, this futile masquerade will continue.
And lastly, remember that opinions are like bellybuttons – everyone has one. But not all opinions are equal! (Do you concur with University of Chicago Professor Jackson’s positions as quoted above?)
If you suffer a heart attack, will friendly advice on what to do next from your local bank teller, your car mechanic, and your grocery store cashier trump your heart surgeon’s recommendation to undergo an immediate double bypass? On the other hand, your heart surgeon’s diagnosis of a car engine problem will likely be dismissed when weighed against a competent mechanic’s conclusion.
As you endure the seemingly endless opinionated noise about technologies in schools this year, carefully discriminate between informed judgments and pablum. Honor only those who have consistently earned our trust.
Repeat after us, all opinions are NOT equal!
David Freitas' email is dfreitas@iusb.edu
Dr. David Freitas has served in a number of leadership positions throughout his career including College Dean at three Universities, University Professor, University Vice Provost, Public School Teacher/Administrator, State of Illinois Teacher Certification Board Member, State Department of Education Official, and Elected City School Board Member. He is a frequent national and international author and presenter.
Janet Buckenmeyer, Ph.D., a former elementary school teacher, is currently Chair of the Masters of Instructional Technology Program at Purdue University Calumet. She has published and presented nationally and internationally about various topics, with a primary focus on instructional technology and design.
