Stop pushing educational technology-pull

The school environment has not changed significantly since the middle ages. The next century, however, will see schools and education radically redefined in response to information technology. Computers can provide whole new dimensions to learning. The focus needs to change from how to teach the same things better to what needs to be learned. The educational system needs to change so that teachers become the facilitators of learning not just the deliverers. Pushing technology into the schools without first preparing the teachers to accept technology may actually result in a continuation of the culture of technology rejection. Technology will continue to proliferate, but the educational system will continue to resist its introduction until the school personnel accept the need. At that point, the teachers will begin the process of “product pull”-requesting learning technology because it is needed rather than having it thrust upon them. A cooperative program, using college students as “learning technologists” to assist teachers in the classroom, is recommended as a cost effective way of reducing the resistance to learning technology. It is the “product pull” paradigm that will lead to successful reorientation of the educational process from “chalk and talk” to active learning. When the educational environment has changed from teacher focused delivery to student focused active learning, the process of continuous learning will have been effectively instituted