Type I and Type II Technology

Type I and type II Technology seem to be colliding with more and more classrooms. However, knowing how to recognize these two types and use them properly is still a work in progress. Type I uses computers or similar technologies to help foster the "old school" approaches to teaching. The user is usually inactive and the computers tend to do most of the work. Type II uses computers as a tool to find new and better ways to teach the students. The computer is very important but here the learner is recognized as being the controller. Skills and independent thinking are emphasized more. The difference between these two is how important a role the computer or technology plays. They differ in how mentally active the student is involved within the task.
In my high school I would definitely say that Type I was common. In so many of my classrooms the teachers would get bored and then take us down to the computer lab when they had nothing better to do. So when we would get there the teachers would try to have us research some random topic and it did absolutely nothing for our learning.

Another experience with this problem is the reliance on PowerPoint programs. Instead of actually teaching a lesson, I had a teacher that only used power point. There was no interaction with the class she put the PowerPoint up and read off of it for the entire class. The sad part was that if you went online, you could print out that PowerPoint, making it almost redundant to go to class.

Many teachers rely on the simple art of movies to fill up class time. This, along with out dated random worksheets make the class almost unbearable. I had a computer class one year, which you would think would make it more of a Type II since there are so many possibilities. However instead of teaching class and using programs and worksheets that helped us, we received worksheets several years old. I was given this sheet and told to just go, no instruction no fun, no variety, just simple, plain, old directions, many of which were so hard to follow. This whole experience made me not like the class. It was not until the end of the class where we got to do a project on anything with anything, (besides a few guidelines) that I liked the class.



On the opposite end of the spectrum we have Type II. This although not as common, was still seen in my classrooms. The best project ever done with the technology was an art class we had at school. The art project was making a webpage for the school. We had to create the background, colors and effects, and putting new pictures and art work on the site. We learned how to make a page, use different settings and tools, and how to work together in a group. It was so much fun and it helped the teacher and students do something new and creative.

Another experience I had with this technology was with my AP English class. Not everyone did the same thing because of the project type but those who chose this option loved it. We had to research two professions other than the one we wanted to pursue in college and then turn it into a project. With this we had to interview people, make a presentation, and a paper. I chose psychology as one of my professions. Not only did I interview a teacher but then I turned it into a movie using a new program on the computer. My teacher challenged us to do something that we have never done before and possibly use the computer. It pushed me to be creative and use the computer in a whole new way, which I then got to share with the whole class.

One of the last and most obvious examples of this Type II is this blog right here. Aside from one other class, I have never used a blog before nor have I ever used the computer like this in the classroom. Given a little guidance then forced to work on my own to use this technology is an interesting and new experience. I have to make a blog, learn how to use it, then go to another site and follow directions. This allows me to multitask as well as create something new and fun.