8+Book+Review

// Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology. // Allan Collins and Richard Halverson. New York: Teachers College Press, 2009, 175. Reviewed by Sheila D. Blocher October 5, 2010 “If educators cannot successfully integrate new technologies into what it means to be a school, then the long identification of schooling with education, developed over the past 150 years, will dissolve into a world where the students with the means and ability will pursue their learning outside of the public school” (p. xv). Though // Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology // encompasses much more, this is the gist of what Collins and Halverson try to convey to the reader. No doubt their opinions are based upon their vast experiences in the field of education. Allan Collins is professor emeritus of education and social policy at Northwestern University. He has studied teaching and learning for over 30 years. Richard Halverson, Ph.D. is an associate professor of educational leadership and policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has been a high school teacher, school technology specialist, curriculum director, and an administrator. Through this book and with their combined expertise, Collins and Halverson present their vision for the future of public education. Though strong supporters of technology themselves, Collins and Halverson do a good job of presenting the pros and cons of the use of technology in schools. They present these in separate chapters as the arguments of “technology enthusiasts” and “technology skeptics.” The authors provide an interesting historical background of how schools developed and what facilitated the changes. They note three eras of education: the apprenticeship era, the universal schooling era, and the current lifelong-learning era. Just as changes in society during the Industrial Revolution called for changes in the way people received an education, Collins and Halverson see the vast technological changes and current trends in today’s society as catalysts for change in education once again. People have longer life expectancies. The amount of knowledge in the world is becoming more and more abundant. Therefore, today’s learners must be taught differently. Instead of trying to learn everything, they must be taught how to locate information when needed and how to evaluate its validity. Collins and Halverson feel that the current educational system has elements which are still applicable. They agree that there are many social aspects of education which would not be met through technology alone. However, they feel that schools should incorporate technology as a means of individualizing instruction for students. Students should be able to study things which interest them and help prepare them for the workforce. They should be able to work on their own levels and at their own pace. Though such technology is currently available for a price outside the public school system, Collins and Halverson believe public schools need to offer similar opportunities to ensure equity in education. They state that “most of the changes in the way people acquire information are occurring outside of schools” (p. 5) rather than inside schools. They offer a catch phrase to illustrate the difference between the goals of schooling and the goals of technology: “School fosters just-in-case learning while technology fosters just-in-time learning” (p. 48). People have access and rely heavily upon just-in-time information outside of schools through the use of technology. Why shouldn’t they have that same access to information at school? I enjoyed reading this book. I found the history regarding the development of universal schooling to be quite interesting. I think Collins and Halverson make valid points. Horace Mann’s plan for universal schooling was a good one. It has served us well over the years. The idea is not to throw it out but rather to improve upon it in order to meet the needs of learners in today’s technologically-advanced world. Technology is here to stay. It is a powerful tool which is used for entertainment, learning, and even work. It enables people to access information instantly. Learning is a lifelong process. It is not limited to what can be learned during the K-12 school years. Technology is one way knowledge can be made available for everyone. Just as was necessary during the Industrial Revolution, schools must evolve to meet the needs of people and society. In their book, Collins and Halverson present a strong argument for this much-needed change. I feel it is a great read for current and future teachers, administrators, and legislators. The expertise of all of these individuals will be needed if changes are to occur in the current educational system. ** About the Author:  ** Sheila D. Blocher is a kindergarten teacher at Rosemont Elementary School in LaGrange, Georgia. She is a graduate student at the University of West Georgia and is working on her Educational Specialist degree in Instructional Technology. She selected this field of study because, like Collins and Halverson, she sees the value of technology and its potential for use in education. She agrees that changes need to be made in the current educational system in order to meet the needs of 21st century learners.