Rewrite of reflection 2
A revised and expanded critical reflection on driving question 2, incorporating peer feedback, enhanced analysis, and deeper inquiry into the societal impacts of modern technology.
Peer feedback received
I like that your reflection follows Gibbs’ six stages clearly and that your feelings section gives a genuine personal response to the two schools. Your description is also concise, particularly when you contrast Sydney Grammar and Acorn’s approaches. I also like that your action plan directly connects your research to your future teaching by explaining how you would use technology in a controlled manner.
I wish you developed your Feelings section further by explaining why you felt mild indignation and irritation, whether these feelings changed after engaging with the research. I also wish you avoided making unsupported claims in the evaluation, such as technology shattering our focus, unless you provide evidence. Additionally, the analysis could connect the research to what you personally experienced or previously believed. Lastly, I wish your reference from Mamamia was properly cited with correct APA 7th referencing.
What if you made the reflection more analytical by explaining exactly why Sydney Grammar’s approach challenged your original thinking? You could compare the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches using your sources, then explain how this influenced your own position.
Revised critical reflection to Driving Question 2: What are the risks and benefits to self and others in the digital environment, and what are schools doing about it?
Description:
The article by the outlet ‘Mamamia’ contrasts Sydney Grammar’s banning of technology in classrooms while still including coding and computer science in the curriculum with the approach of ‘Acorn’ school in London, which has a blanket ban on technology in school, teaching practical skills and not allowing students to watch tv until they turn 14. This caused me to reflect on how technology should be used in educational settings.
Feelings:
The London school caused me mild indignation at how completely they dismissed the role of technology in modern society, as I grew up surrounded by technology and used technology all through my education as a research, creative, and presentation tool. It felt like my own education, which I am decently proud of, was being dismissed. I felt irritated at the patronising tone used by staff at Sydney Grammar, as I was a student only a year ago and felt belittled. However, I was intrigued by the possibility of restricting technology in classrooms while still fostering the skills required to succeed in world.
Evaluation:
The article makes an unsupported claim that technology is inherently a negative in classrooms. However, the literature does support that the use of technology can result in negative impacts on learning, development, and attention (American Psychological Association, 2023). However, there is a lack of investigation into the consequences of restricting technology in a digital world.
Analysis:
The approach ‘Acorn’ in London takes is highly problematic when considering the context of modern life. McElroy (2021) argues that digital connectivity is essential to providing students the ability to thrive in the modern world, and completely depriving students of technology for most of their schooling will leave them unequipped to thrive in a digital age. I found once technology was introduced in my own school in year 8, that I frequently struggled using various applications that my peers seemed natural with, and felt that I was behind. Sydney Grammar’s approach is far more compelling. There is substantial evidence to support that unrestricted access to technology is counterproductive, which supports the approach of Sydney Grammar (Kirschner and De Bruyckere 2017). However, their inclusion of computer sciences is crucial to their effectiveness, helping to provide digital literacy in a way which is supported by the literature and my own experience of feeling left behind once technology was incorporated into my own education (Boccini et al. 2022).
Conclusion:
I’ve come to the conclusion that a blanket ban on technology is an ineffective tool for improving the educational outcomes and prospects of children. Acorn’s approach appears to me counter-productive, and my own experiences, combined with the literature, leads me to favour the approach of Sydney Grammar and also the general stance of the article on the benefits of digital literacy and consequences of over-exposure.
Action Plan:
Considering my reflection and research, I plan on incorporating technology into my teaching in a controlled manner, balancing focused learning with explicit instruction and active supervision to ensure that students are using technology effectively and not being distracted. I plan on making most of my lessons technology free for the students to facilitate active thinking and discussion, while intermittently including the use of technology for activities like research tasks or assessments to develop their digital skills as an ability to facilitate their own learning, not replace it.
References:
American Psychological Association. (2023, February). Speaking of Psychology: Why our attention spans are shrinking, with Gloria Mark, PhD (Episode 225) [Audio podcast episode]. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans
Bocconi, S., Chioccariello, A., Kampylis, P., Dagienė, V., Wastiau, P., Engelhardt, K., Earp, J., Horvath, M. A., Jasutė, E., Malagoli, C., Masiulionytė-Dagienė, V., & Stupurienė, G. (2022). Reviewing computational thinking in compulsory education: State of play and practices from computing education. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/126955
Kirschner, P. A., & De Bruyckere, P. (2017). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 135–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.001
McElroy, T. (2021, December 3). Addressing the digital divide in education: Technology and internet access for students in underserved communities. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2021/12/03/addressing-the-digital-divide-in-education-technology-and-internet-access-for-students-in-underserved-communities/
Mamamia Team. (2016, March 30). Top school bans laptops because they are ‘distracting’ students. Mamamia.