Technology Landscape by Mariano Patruno

2004 - The Beginning of Normalcy

marianopatruno — 2024-09-02 00:08:23 UTC

Apple Computers were a nice first introduction to technology for students. They allowed students to get a basic introduction to the new technology of computers through learning typing skills, how to make presentations, and general computer/internet etiquette. In my interviewees school, they were put together in a computer lab with enough for every student, and my interviewee generally enjoyed the experience of learning to use the computer.

1980s - Bare Basics

marianopatruno — 2024-09-02 00:08:44 UTC

Calculators seemed to be one of the simplest and most widely used pieces of technology in the early ages of schools. Interviewees stated they liked them for the ease of access and extra work they eventually removed; however, calculators also removed a lot of the visual aspect of math that benefits some students, so that if a mistake was made they'd have to restart the whole problem instead of being able to look at written work and quickly identify where they might have gone wrong.

2016 - Portable Gamification of Learning

marianopatruno — 2024-09-02 00:09:03 UTC

Tablets have become both a blessing and a curse for schooling. A blessing in that it makes technology more accessible to younger and/or physically disabled learners. They teach kids how to use technology so the transfer to laptops is less jarring, and they'll already have some typing skills and technological know-how. However, they're also a curse in that a lot of schools don't regulate their usage enough, and students can have too much unsupervised access to the Internet. Plus, only being able to use technology and not being adept with physical models or paper and pencil could impact future learning and skills.

2010 - A Visual Revolution

marianopatruno — 2024-09-02 00:09:31 UTC

Projectors allowed for even more connection in classrooms. Both of my interviewees enjoyed this piece of technology a lot, as it aided in creating less of a gap between instruction and work time. Students could see what the teacher was doing/wanted the class to see, and it made instruction more visually accessible. In combination with computers in the class, teachers could also more quickly show videos or websites to students, instead of dragging in a TV and VCR player or grouping up the whole class to go to the computer lab.

Starting Technical Connection Through Communication

marianopatruno — 2024-09-02 00:09:50 UTC

Intercoms were the most widespread and beginner form of technology being incorporated in schools. It allowed for staff and students to gain closer connections even if they weren't directly interacting. One of my interviewees noted how their Principal would do announcements every day, and occasionally students would get to speak as well, or sing songs, building a stronger school community. This feels more interconnected than a teacher just reading a prewritten bulletin, and ensured students all got the same information and could connect through the shared experience of the announcements.

2014 - A Permanent Technological Change

marianopatruno — 2024-09-02 00:09:57 UTC

Laptops in computer carts were game changers for school instruction. It allowed for more Internet and web research, students could quickly search up things they wanted to, and instruction didn't have to stop for as long in order to access the computers. This being due to most carts being housed right in the classrooms. The only downside is that for one interviewee, they stated that it made them feel more disconnected from the subjects they were learning about when most of the instruction and assignments/materials moved online.