Emerging technologies, benchmarking, and valuing: the dilemma of the bandwagon

Abstract

Given continuous exposure to the idea of being an emergent culture, the technology bandwagon of today is left to open criticism –more negative than positive. The environments, framed wherein tech-based or tech-supported teaching/learning mediums are created, continue to be observed for effectiveness. My input would be to question what kind of measurement is being applied to the assessment to benchmark for effectiveness. Rhetorically, what makes for a decision of effective benchmarking? The benchmark is considered effective in relation to what or in relation to whom or in relation to when? I believe benchmarking the mediums as effective may only happen when the observation addresses the way the tech is used. The purpose of the paper is threefold. The first purpose is to address the major ―emerging technologies‖to advance what they are briefly, ground them and discuss their effectiveness as tools to enhance learning and as means to enhance the methodology of teaching and of learning. The second purpose is to address the value of the ―emerging technologies‖ to enhance learner centered teaching/learning environments, such as active learning, exploratory learning, discovery learning. The third purpose is to question what is/are the determining force(s) that warrant(s) the use of such technologies in the mediums. Given that present in the mediums are the educational leaders –administrators or educators--and the technologies, be they used for tech-based or tech-supported purposes. It is concluded that educators must make conscious decisions as to how and what the ―emerging technologies‖ are doing to add value to the any given teaching/ learning environment. Educators must act accordingly.