This Huffington Post article by author Don Tapscott offers a strong challenge to the use and lack of use of technology in changing the nature of higher education. My own work in higher education is focused on K-12 education, but I do find his comments relevant and interesting. On one hand, many of the potential applications Tapscott proposed seem disconnected from the large class instruction that is often necessary to address the number of students we work with and the budgets that support this instruction. This would not be a valid reaction for many programs.
Off the top, let me say that Tapscott echoes some typical stereotypes regarding learning and large courses. His use of “short term” memory is not the way a cognitive scientist would use this concept. I would also suggest that all learning experiences must be processed by the learner for meaningful learning to occur. The external experiences, whatever they are, do not guarantee effective processing by the individual learner. Processing static content (content without integrated engagement) is in fact that way most of us learn once removed from a school setting and the capacity to learn independently is essential. The advantage of a knowledgeable provider of such content is an advantage that is often missing in daily life. Not to quibble, but reading the Tapscott article or his books would offer examples of such learning opportunities.
On one hand, many of the potential applications Tapscott proposed seem disconnected from the large class instruction that is often necessary to address the number of students we work with and the budgets that support this instruction. There are technology-based opportunities for such situations that do support the independent learning that is of great importance in group situations.
Of course, college students do work with faculty members in many courses that do not involve hundreds of students. I am most concerned when these smaller courses focus on the preparation of future teachers. When technology plays no role in such experiences future teachers are provided no opportunities as learners that might serve as a model for their future work as practitioners.