During the first half of the EdTechWeekly podcast they talked about a new program called Needlebase. I am not so sure I understand what Needlebase is or how it is useful. At first I thought this concept of technology was just above my head, but then the other three speakers seemed to be confused as well and they asked a lot of questions concerning the program’s purpose. From what I picked up about this program was that it records the things you look at, click on and go to while on the internet. I could see how this might be useful in the monitoring of students or children online but they talked about the millions of dollars going into research to create programs like this one. Why would they be spending that kind of money if for only one use? I can easily see this program being a tool for hackers and identity thieves, which also concerns me. Again, my interpretation of this program may be due to my lack of understanding technology.
The next subject during the podcast was that even though graduation rates are rising, some are saying the students are not ready for life outside of high school. Whether it be college, trade school, or entering the workforce. I would have to say I 100% agree with this statement. I definitely did not feel prepared when I first came to college and I know most of my peers will say the same thing. The key to this issue in my opinion is that K-12 is focused too much on good grades and standardized test scores then developing problem-solving skills and higher level thinking. They talked about how some schools want to prepare kids for a certain skill, trade or degree while still in high school. I think this is the wrong solution. To me that is just like deciding someone’s future for them and I immediately picture the scene from Disney’s Ants, where they decide right after birth whether they will be worker ants or solider ants. A Harvard article stated that everyone should be taught the same things and be educated in all things and when they decide their own path, they can then further their knowledge in that area. One thing was said during the show that really bothered me, “We train some kids to get to work on time and we train others to tell people to get to work on time.” I guess there is some truth to that statement but for some reason it really angered me when he said it. I can’t really find words to explain why I was disturbed by this statement.
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