The use of technology in the classroom

Almost all of the articles we've read in class talk about using technology in the classroom as an "unintelligent" mindtool. The goal of using technology as a mindtool is rooted in the constructivist philosophy of having students construct their own knowledge rather than being transmitted knowledge by a teacher. While I certainly agree that classroom technologies can be used as cognitive tools to engage students in higher level thinking skills there is another role for technology as well.

Perhaps the most successful piece of educational software ever is The Oregon Trail developed by Minnesota educators as part of the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC) in the late 1980s. This piece of software used in classrooms around the state and eventually the nation was designed to allow students to participate in a transcontinental adventure during the late 19th century gold rush. Perhaps the reason this software was most successful was the novel adventure story way of looking at learning rather than the traditional drill and practice software typical of the day. At the same time this was certainly using the computer as tutor and not a cognitive tool in the same sense as Inspiration, PowerPoint, websites, blogs or the other technology mindtools we have studied. Still, this successful piece of software did allow students to learn both from and with computers and provided direct knowledge as well as a chance for students to construct an understanding of life on the Oregon Trail.

I bring this example up because I feel there is a place for computer as tutor and facilitator as well as the mindtool in the sense we have discussed in class. Over twenty years later this popular program still provides a unique way to look at technology in the classroom and remains a relevant resource for students, instructors and researchers alike.