 This results from more than just a lack of training; it is as a result of teachers' teaching methods. The majority of teachers teach the way they themselves were taught (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 19). With each new educational technology that has been created, developers from outside the school culture introduced them with strong words regarding the huge impact these devices will have on the school system. In reality, most of these technologies have had little fundamental impact on teacher practice. Many teachers view technology as simply a way to make current teaching methods more efficient (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 10-11). In the context of education, this means that many teachers use computers for drills and repetitive practice, rather than for doing research and communicating with other students on the Internet, producing multimedia projects and graphical presentations, or engaging in other problem-solving, exploratory projects (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 21). This is especially true in poorer schools, whose use of computers tends to focus on keyboarding and repetitive CD-ROM drills—skills which indirectly train them to take orders. Wealthier schools, on the other hand, tend to use their computers for collaborative learning projects with emphasis on communication—learning experiences which will prepare them to take managerial and professional roles in their futures ( Monroe 26-27). In order for ICT to have any significant impact on education, however, it is essential that it is used to enrich and enhance all students' educational experiences, not just to make them more efficient. |