Technology Fluency
Illah Nourbakhsh’s book “Parenting for Technology Futures” allows us to dig into thinking about how technology is affecting our schools via social, political, cultural, and epistemological constructions. In as much as this book is written for parents, it also applies to teachers and school leaders as well.
Be aware of the political and epistemological pressures that have thrust technology into our schools while simultaneously battling the social and cultural beliefs of technology by our students. Nourbakhsh acknowledges (where many EdTech “propheteers” ignore or forget) that parents need to also be aware of and respond to student use of technology in our schools, as they will bring these beliefs and devices home.
Read: Nourbakhsh, I. R. (2015). Parenting for technology futures: Part 1: education and technology. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. (ISBN: 978-1505880434). Focus on Chapters 1, 4, and 5.
Discussion Questions:
Answer the below questions with an initial post. Make sure to reference content from the book and beyond.
1- While “Parenting for Technology Futures” is geared towards parents, it also informs us about technology use in education. To address how students might engage with technology for learning, Nourbakhsh discusses technology literacy and technology fluency. What is the difference between these concepts and what do they mean for instruction and learning?
2- Using content from the book, how does Nourbakhsh suggest we help students to become “socially aware prophets of technology innovation” (Nourbakhsh, p 2)?
3- Are we allowing students to be technology fluent or to become socially aware prophets of tech innovation?