Mr. Winkle Wakes is a short, partially animated video about a man who wakes from a hundred year slumber and finds the world as he knew it has completely changed. First, he visits a business where computers are everywhere, and then he visits a hospital and sees a great deal of new technology in use. To finish his journey, of course, he visits a school where he feels at home because of the lack of technology that is being used.
Honestly, I felt this video is a little ridiculous and helps to further the stigma towards the entire education system of America. Everyone already knows that the education system is behind where it should be in terms of technology and the actual use of it in the classroom. That is the reason colleges of education are implementing courses like EDM 310 into their curriculum. The root of the problem is lack of funding for technology in the classroom because I'm pretty sure even Mr. Winkle would know how to use that dusty old computer that sits alone in nearly every classroom in America.
Josh, I agree that the video is a bit ridiculous. I am not exactly sure in what year this video was made but the education system is not this prehistoric; even my son's pre-k classroom has four computers and a Smartboard. While we still have work to do in this system, we have come a long way from where this video places us. One thing I can relate to in this video is Mr. Winkle's reaction to the technology being very similar to many people of older generations. I have heard many older people say that computers are just too complicated and will be the downfall of humanity, while completely ignoring the way that they have advanced it.
ReplyDeleteFrom other posts that are part of this assignment. You wrote: "grammar and language are pretty rigid subjects that don't allow much room for creativity." Is that all an English teacher teachers. And are those fixed in time?
ReplyDelete"The root of the problem is lack of funding for technology." Not knowing how and when to use technology effectively is a greater problem I think.