GP and Technology
In this article, Elizabeth writes about Grants Pass High School's plans to react to the technology fork in its upcoming future.
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GPHS' Future with Technology
GPHS' Future with Technology
By: Elizabeth Dugan
By: Elizabeth Dugan
In the last hundred years, technology has spread all over the classroom, from radios and speakers to smartboards and projectors. The impact of the explosion in the modernization of studies was left largely unobserved until the 21st century. Now, universities such as Stanford University, Lynn University, child psychologists, and even teachers are paying closer attention to how technology use has altered a student's ability to pay attention in class, keep fundamental skills, and develop social skills. The results of these studies have led to executive decisions made by national and state governments, as well as local school boards, which leaves Grants Pass High School’s future regarding how to handle the negative impacts of technology undetermined.
Technology is a never-ending debate, especially when it comes to the long-lasting effects it may have on a person’s psyche or intellectual development. This may include the use of artificial intelligence, smartboards, or limiting the use of personal computers for assignments. Some, like Stanford, have taken a positive perspective, especially on how technology is changing the education system to be more efficient and inclusive of more people. For example, in an interview with the dean of education at Stanford University, Dan says the following regarding AI in education: “The field is trying to push towards efficiency. Can we get the kids done faster? Can we get 'em through the curriculum faster? Can we correct them faster? In which case, the kids are going to optimize for being really efficient. Yeah.” Here, the dean states that if use of AI is going to improve the quality of education their students receive, then Stanford University will be a school to utilize AI.
This positive perspective is not shared among all schools and educators. Some case studies from multiple universities all over the world, including foreign countries, have shown that technology may lead to a decrease in attention spans, overall brain activity, and memory recollection. The University of Tokyo did a study on whether or not using paper versus using technology had more long-lasting effects on the brain, and the results showed that volunteers who chose to write on paper had a more accurate memory recollection than those who used computers to type. The study shows that “Volunteers who used paper had more brain activity in areas associated with language, imaginary visualization, and in the hippocampus -- an area known to be important for memory and navigation.” This case study was repeated by multiple research centers all over the world, and they came to a common conclusion that using traditional tactile ways of learning, such as writing, touching the flashcards, and repetitive motion of acting out the answers, kept the brain more engaged in the material. As a result, some schools, like Saint Mary’s private school in Medford, Oregon, have decided to go low-tech.
After all of this data collection, and more case studies on the rise, the question of where this will leave GPHS in regards to using technology in the classroom is still unanswered. Pam McNulty, our school Vice Principal of Assessment and Curriculum here at GPHS, sat down to talk about the GPHS plan of trajectory of whether the school will be diving head first into using more technology or not. “As of now, Grants Pass High School has no current plans to integrate new forms of technology in the form of gadgets, like iPads, smart boards, or computers. To address the software side of technology, the school district is investing money and time into training teachers to better understand AI, so they can better understand if they want to implement it in their classroom. Ultimately, it is mostly up to the departments and individual teachers on how AI will be implemented in the individual classrooms.” With no clear direction for the future of education, the GP administration has decided to stay on the fence until more information is available about how to better prepare students for the working world, whether that includes more or less technology.
What an average classroom looks like by Pexels
As of now, schooling will stay the same on most levels. ParentSquare, Canvas, and StudentSquare will always be around for clear and easily accessible communication with students and their parents. Ultimately, there is no big enough change in the GPHS future for anyone to ponder as the only way is to live onward and find out.
Sources:
Sources:
Interview with Vice Principal of Assessment and Curriculum, Pam MacNulty
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