Assignments -
Philosophy
of Computing in Education
(Draft May 10, 2004; Revised May 11, 2004)
(Context)
The purpose of this course is to look at
three aspects of the
computer in education.
1. Machine learning/machine-intermediated
learning--the
computer as a device with which you communicate or where the machine is
only
an intermediary for human to human communications.
2. The computer as tutor/ tool/tutee--depending on
your
philosophy, the computer can take on different functions in education.
Which
fits your style and why?
3. Pedagogy—what is technology’s role in education;
how
can it help you be a better teacher? Starting at the beginning - what
is
pedagogy and what is a good teacher?
The class meetings will be M, T, Th nights
the first week of
Maymester (May 10-14). Each night will cover one of the aspects. There
will
be three assignments and a term paper. Assignment 1 is on aspect 1,
assignment
2 on aspect 2, and assignment 3 on aspect 3. It will be due one week
from
the date assigned. You will send it to the class listserv.
Student completed
assignments.
Assignment
1: (Due: May 21)
a. Read the Roblyer/Knezek and Southworth et. al.
articles.
b. Read the last chapter of Boole “Laws of Thought”
and at least one chapter of Kemeny “Man and the Computer”.
c. Write a 3-paragraph essay about types of relative
advantages you see in the future for computers in education; and
whether or not you believe
computers will some day be intelligent.
Assignment
2: (Due: May 21)
a. Read Luehrmann (2003) “Should
the Computer Teacher the Student ..” and the original Luehrmann
article
in Taylor (1980) “The Computer in the School: Tutor, Tool, and
Tutee”.
Comment on whether you agree with Luerhmann’s assessment of what has
succeeded
and what has not, among the Tutor, Tutee, Tool groupings.
b. Read the following technology classification
articles:
Knezek, Rachlin, Scannell (1980). A Taxonomy for Educational Computing.
Knezek (1988). Intelligent Tutoring Systems and ICAI.
Jones & Knezek (1995) Categorizing Distance Learning Systems:
Discovering
Successful Ingredients.
Lomerson & Knezek (1991). Teacher Benefit: The Critical Design
Criteria
for CMI.
Do you see antecedents of these in the work of Taylor and
Luehrmann?
In the work of Kemeny? What kinds of items are missing regarding
a
modern day taxonomy?
c. Read the Muir, Knezek, Christensen (2004) article:
Early Findings from the Maine Learning
Technology
Initiative. Find one other article about ubiquitous and computing
and
give and your opinion about whether computers will soon be everywhere
in
education; if so, in what form; and why?
d. Write a 3-paragraph to 2-page essay covering these
three
points.
Assignment
3: (Due: May 21)
a. Watch two of the following three movies (Conrac/Voigt, Dead Poet’s
Society/Williams, Emperor’s Club/Kline) and compare/contrast their
intended audiences of learners as well as their teaching
goals/pedagogical styles. Is any form of technology used in
either? Are their underlying philosophies of education in either
that you can identify?
b. Watch the movie Matrix and compare it to the previous 2
selections. Would you agree this presents an extreme view of
technology in education?
c. Use any established framework of pedagogical techniques to justify
how you ideally think information technology should be used – in terms
of your favorite philosophical perspective.
d. Try to do this all in three paragraphs (not more than 2 pages) and
post what you come up with on the listserv.
e. Send a brief note to the listserv about which classmate’s posting
you think is most like yours in philosophy, and which is least like
yours, and justify why.
Final
Project (Term Paper):
1. Produce at 10-15 page term paper with at least 10
references,
APA style.
2. The topic should be grounded in Philosophy of
Computing
in Education.
3. Include components from at least one journal
article,
one book chapter, and one movie you have viewed for class (choose 3 new
ones
of your own).
4. It is suggested that you build on one aspect of
the
assignments required for class. (Probably this means one of your
paragraphs
will be expanded into 10 pages.)
5. It is suggested that you chose one of the 4
philosophies
discussed in class as your underlying theme.
6. It is suggested that you must address pedagogy in
some
form.
7. It is suggested that you must focus on one or more
technologies.
8. Comparisons/contrasts of two or more philosophies,
including
discussion of where their conflicts lie, are acceptable.
9. Comparisons/contrasts of two or more technologies,
given
an underlying philosophy, are acceptable.
10. Intersections of technology and pedagogy
(taxonomy
of which teaching style fits which philosophy) are acceptable.
11. Critical reviews including before vs. after
reflections
by authorities we have studied are acceptable.
12. Critical essays for/against the Clark arguments
are
acceptable.
13. Other topics that meet the approval of your
instructor
are welcome.