In her essay, Davidson explains the transformation in the education system spearheaded by technology in the 21st century; she draws her article material from various resources, which include her life experiences, to give her assertions concerning education in the digital era. She makes good points about the need to revise the school system.
Davidson’s opening statement in ‘Project Classroom Makeover’ is a reaction of the public to the adoption of iPods for academic purposes by an institution; she is an educator at Duke University. The public bear a strong opinion that iPods are entertainment musical gadgets that do not magically transform into educational tools by only throwing into a classroom (Davidson, 2011 p. 61). Davidson however, is more optimistic about the integration of the digital tools into the University’s education system. She is considerate of the sheer fact that a big percentage of incoming students were born during the digital era, and therefore newer learning methods like the use of iPods for academic purposes would be more applicable to them, compared to the old traditional models of teaching and assessment that do not serve the new generation effectively. The author believes that education in the digital era is more of a two-way process, where even educators have an opportunity to learn from the knowledge of the students, which they attain from their personal learning outside of school. The enormous success of the iPod in academic integration advanced Davidson’s assertion of the role of digital technology in academics.
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The author believes that learning in the digital era in an on-going process beyond just the classroom borders. She uses the illustration of the kindergarten pupils who spent their entire day playing games, learning new things, but at the end of the day are baffled when asked what they learned (Davidson 2011 p. 92). Davidson’s idea of education and learning runs opposite from that of the general public. Most people believe that education has to be formal in a class with precise learning guidelines and course outlines. Their idea of education undermines Davidson’s concept of the same; she believes that any activity one partakes, be it playing games, has an impact on one’s knowledge. She felt that the kindergarten pupils had learned something out of their whole day gaming, and the part where they clearly communicated possible future modifications proves her concept right. They had a whole lot of advanced vocabulary and critical thinking one could not attain from a formal class.
Davidson also uses her knowledge of cultural history to bring out the issues, which according to her, undermines the whole concept of education. She does not share the ideology of Ichabod Crane, a dispenser of knowledge, that to make sure students measure up, they should be thoroughly drilled and tested. The author feels that this method of dispensing education might have been ideal for training new workers for routine labor in companies in the industrialization period, but it is not conducive for students in this digital age. The perfect environment for education included a more interactive, engaging touch of educators with their student.
She believes that education should not have to be standard, as people are not. The idea of new school standards where all students in a country use the same textbooks and take the same tests, in her opinion would not raise students’ achievements as the Council of Chief State School Officers felt. In the last parts of her essay, Davidson brings into light the tale of Middleton school in North Carolina; she explains that even though the school was full of diverse cultures and some of the students there did not speak English as their first language, the school required them to take standard tests in English. That kind of education system, in her ideology, is a recipe for failure.
Davidson’s idea of education is that its success or failure ought not to be assessed solely by written tests but through the various aspects of learning that students attain in their process of learning. Taking the example of Middleton school for illustration, the institution was deemed to be a ‘failing school’ and was even under the threat of being closed. Despite all, the art displayed in the school was exquisite, comparable to those of famous painters like Picasso. The students had sophisticated talents, yet their school still faced possible closure because of ‘failing.'
The idea of knowledge acquisition to a certain extent complicates her claims of education. The author has without a doubt embraced the purpose of digital learning. She apparently believes that acquisition of education can occur online as well as it could have taken place within classroom settings. However, at the end of the first part of ‘Project Classroom Makeover,’ she sets up an online course where she interacts with her student. She does not leave them solely to fend for themselves, find answers in Wikipedia and the sort; but she instead goes with them all the way, because, at the end of the idea, students need a teacher to assist with other aspects of education apart from knowledge acquisition.
The manner in which she organizes her essay, gathering information from aspects of her life, cultural and literal references serves an immense significance in the article. It helps her bring out various points of view in the essay; one easily acknowledges her claims about education by understanding from where she has come. The different stories she uses in the article provides a vivid illustration of her idea of technology in education, therefore, brings a deeper understanding of her work.
Reference
Davidson, C. N. (2011). Now you see it: How technology and brain science will transform schools and business for the 21st century. Viking Books
