Technophobia?

It had never occurred to me before that "technophobia" existed. I was aware of certain people who refuse to use technology or have a particular resistant attitude; however had never considered that it would be given a specific term or defined as a 'fear'. Brosnan (1998 p.2) outlines that "this fear can range from avoidance to technology from palpitations of sweating when thinking about using technology" and also claims that technophobia is a legitimate response to technology.  This may be a legitimate response; however, it is not one that accepted within a learning environment due to its fantastic potential as a learning resource. Constructionist theorist Seymour Papert (1993 p.4) highlighted that computers can be carriers of powerful ideas and help to form new relationships with knowledge. Technophobia therefore, can have the potential of having a significantly negative impact on teaching and learning; causing a barrier to learning which we need to ensure is removed.

A fear and anxiety toward technology can occur within teachers or children, but what are the symptoms? Similarly to other phobias, symptoms can include: feelings of panic, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and extreme avoidance. Technophobia is common among teachers, particularly those who have been teaching for many years and have been successful in doing so without technology. Is is typical human nature for us to resist change, we are creatures of habit. However, this technophobic attitude can also occur due to a lack of knowledge. After all, most of our fears are born out of the fear of the unknown; fear of death, fear of the dark, fear of the future. The risk of these anxieties being present in schools is not only that children will be denied opportunities for authentic learning (Wheeler, 2014), but they might also inherit these attitudes. This is why it is essential for teachers, particularly specialists and those responsible for technology education are confident in their use and knowledge.

I definitely wouldn't consider myself as technophobic; in fact I am probably a technophile, being that my iPhone 6s is an extension of my right arm and I take my matching iPad Air with me wherever I go. I certainly can’t remember the last time I went a whole day without checking twitter. However, despite all this, the prospect of HOW to use technology effectively to enhance and engage learning does cause me some anxiety so I can empathise with the 'technophobes'.

So, a concluding thought: there needs to be an awareness of technophobia within schools in order to prevent it from occurring and being detrimental to the learning process for our children. Technology is continually evolving phenomenon that should be embraced and used to our advantage rather than ignored and avoided as a result of fear.

References:

Brosnan, M. (1998). Technophobia: The psychological impact of information technology. New York: Routledge. 

Papert, S. (1993) Mindstorms. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf.

Wheeler, S. (2014) Shock of the new. [Blog] Learning with 'e's. Available at: http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/shock-of-new.html [Accessed 25 Feb. 2016].

Effective Learning Environments

We're now 4 weeks into semester 2 and I must admit I'm enjoying under-picking the psychology of learning and considering it in context. Within the last few lectures’ we've explored what learning is and since then, also delved into the concept of perceptions and representations in learning and most recently; memory and recall. The purpose of this post is to reflect on these elements of learning psychology whilst addressing the question of "How do we create learning environments and opportunities that enable our students to remember and learn better?", with some consideration to the use of technology. 

In my previous post I defined learning as the process of acquiring and developing knowledge, skills and behaviors, also highlighting that this occurs in a number of ways. Now let’s explore how learning is said to occur with technology. Sugarta Mitra (2010) suggests that children can learn anything, by themselves, provided that they have digital scaffolding and other children around them. This is a vygotskian approach, supporting learning as a social experience. Diversely, Negraponte (2006) talks in favour of children working independently with technology, claiming that learning is driven by the individual. Taking these opposing views into account, how do we create an environment to suit these different views? Every learner is different; some children may find that they learn better by working independently and others may thrive from working in a group. This suggests that our learners need to be given a choice within there environment for the way they wish to work.

What else needs to be available within a learning environment, and what makes a difference to learning? A child’s perception of their working and learning space is a key factor; as are first impressions of the environment. What children see when they first walk into a room can shape their behavior for the rest of the day (Greenwood, 2002). Leimanis-Wyatt (2010 p.12), claims that “A stimulating environment makes for a stimulated child”. A stimulating environment is arguably also a flexible one; Edutopia (2015) promote learning spaces which children feel comfortable and creative in and give children the choice to work in a manor which best suits them; whether that be lying on the floor or sat at a table.

If we can help children to learn better through creating a suitable learning environment, does this also mean that this can help them to better remember what they learn? Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) multi-store memory model suggests information enters the sensory memory from an environmental input, if it is then given attention it enters the short-term memory and progresses into the long-term memory when ‘coded’ and rehearsed. Baddley and Hitch (1972) expanded upon the muti-store model, proposing the model of working memory which explores how listening, experiencing and seeing all contribute to the short term memory. This information highlights the need for children to be immersed in a sensory environment which stimulates these senses and encourages memory and recall. Outcomes are not necessarily determined, however this will promote experiences which children will remember, which are said to have a great impact on children’s learning (Barnes, 2011 p.9; Spink and Boys, 2011 p.85).

So, to answer the original question: in my opinion, classroom environments needs to be comfortable, flexible and stimulating in order to promote learning and recall. There should be different area’s of the classroom which promote different styles of learning; area’s for group work and area’s for independent study. If children want to sit on the floor, at a table or on a beanbag whilst they work; they should have the choice. Their surrounding area should be multi-sensory, inspiring and prompt their learning. 

References:

Atkinson, R.C.; Shiffrin, R.M. (1968) "Chapter: Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes". In Spence, K.W.; Spence, J.T. The psychology of learning and motivation, 2, pp. 89–195. New York: Academic Press.

Baddeley, A. D., & Hitch, G. (1974) Working memory. In G.H. Bower (Ed.), The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory, 8, pp. 47–89. New York: Academic Press.

Barnes, J. (2011) Cross-curricular learning 3-14. London: SAGE Publications.

Greenwood, J. (2002) ‘Student perceptions regarding classroom environments for learning’. Available at: http://scholarworks.unmass.edu/dissertations/AAI3056233/ (Accessed: 20 February 2016)

Leimanis-Wyatt, M. (2010) Classroom DIY. New York: Routledge.

Mitra, S. (2010) 'The hole in the wall: self organising systems in education' (Vodcast). Available at: http://youtu.be/Ps8MwyJH8Zo (Accessed: 20 February 2016) 

Negraponte, N. (2006) One Laptop per Child (Vodcast). Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_negroponte_on_one_laptop_per_child?language=en#t-355537 (Accessed: 20 February 2016).

Spink, E. and Boys, R. (2011). Primary curriculum. London: Continuum.