Nintendo DS original ad

Reader Response 9

In his final chapter of The Human Factor, Vicente (2003) asserts “we’ve had enough of the turbulent, frustrating effects inflicted by the traditional current of thought”  (p. 285).  He encourages consumers if they “want to live in a world that celebrates humanity and the human factor, then buy Human-tech products” (p. 291).  I agree we should no longer accept products designed by and for Mechanists, however, can we “distinguish and recognize poorly designed products?” (p. 291).  How do we build the critical skill set necessary to move beyond complacency in our products?

When the Nintendo DS was launched in 2004, I remember the incredible amount of hype that accompanied it.  There was no doubt in my mind that I needed this extraordinary piece of gaming hardware.  It promised wi-fi connectivity, an interactive touch screen interface with stylus, and dual screens.  As I tore past the layers of cardboard and plastic wrapping and held the DS in my hands for the first time, my excitement was curtailed by the sheer bulkiness of the device.  Yet the marketing machine of Nintendo had done such a great job of convincing me this was the future of handheld gaming, that somehow I was able to cast aside the clunky exterior in favour of innovative gameplay.  Subsequent iterations of the DS offered slimmer versions with less cumbersome styluses, but I had already supported Nintendo’s first version and its inferior design.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS

Recently our school purchased a new photocopier.  At a PD day last month, we signed up for a one-hour training session with a company technician to learn how to use the product.  During this session, I recounted some of what I had learned about design in this course.  Armed with this newfound knowledge, I was able to identify the many flaws inherent in the design.  I felt very pleased with myself, yet discouraged at the same time.  The purchase decision had already been made.  We were stuck with this expensive, terrible monstrosity.  Now what?

While I agree with Vicente wholeheartedly in supporting Human-Tech products, the reality is some of these products are either cleverly marketed and disguised as great products or imposed upon us.  This does not mean that change is impossible; rather, change is incremental.  As we become better educated to advocate for improvements in the design of our products,  my the hope is this will accelerate the rate of change.

The Terminator Movie Trailer

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within - Theatrical Trailer

Reader Response 8

Fear.  Life insurance agents cater to a fear of death and loss while science fiction writers and filmmakers tap into a fear of technology.  In his book, The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle posits that “fear is divorced from any concrete and true immediate danger.” (pg 43)  Fear is the result of an ego that is “very vulnerable and insecure, and it sees itself as constantly under threat.” (pg 44)

When the Raytheon company introduced the microwave oven to the marketplace in the 1950s, they were met with skepticism and fear.   The short film linked below, “Preparation of Foods: Stone Age to Space Age” captures attempts made to secure public trust and safe use of this product in domestic settings.  This marketing effort romanticizes the microwave by highlighting its use by NASA, elevating its status with the advent of the space age.  The film then contrasts these "superior" North American food preparation practices with less advanced countries such as New Guinea.  The convenience and safety claims of cooking lobster tails or cupcakes within minutes surely cannot be ignored, particularly when hedged up against preparing food in an open pit.

http://www.archive.org/details/preparation_of_foods

http://www.raytheon.com/ourcompany/history/leadership/index.html

The 1984 film, The Terminator, succeeded not only because of the star power of Arnold Schwarzenegger at the time, but because of how it tapped into the collective technophobia that had been accumulating since the Cold War.  Asimov’s I, Robot and Arthur C. Clark’s 2001: A Space Odyssey had previously explored themes of robots running amok.  Norman references Asimov’s Four Laws of Robotics that are “intended to reassure humanity that robots will not be a threat and will, moreover, always be subservient to humans.” (pg 196)  Just as microwave manufacturers had to alleviate fears in the 1950s, so will robotics manufacturers have to address fears of non-compliance.

Norman further complicates matters by stating a common belief that “robots will take over many routine jobs by people, therefore leading to great unemployment and turmoil.” (pg 207)  He questions whether film actors will “be replaced by computer-generated characters. (pg 207)  The 2001 film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, is an example of such a film, casting the likes of James Woods, Alec Baldwin, and Donald Sutherland in the roles of these characters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy:_The_Spirits_Within

The future of robotics will depend largely on the balance of our collective emotional responses to these advancements.  If we feel threatened by the potential for job loss or human safety, progress will surely be affected.  Norman says,“ this is how it is with all technology: it is a two-edged sword always combining potential benefits with potential deficits.” (pg 211)

Reader Response 7

Reading Response 7

“The goal is to find out what’s to blame, not who’s to blame.” (Vicente pg 201)

A colleague of mine recently attended an Alberta Teaching Association (ATA) meeting and reported that teachers were managing a significantly higher workload this year.  Class sizes are up, new Ends Statements are expected to be reported on, and new ELL benchmarks are in effect.  The stress level is increasing as teachers try their best to navigate through these additional variables in an already impossibly complex job.

What impact does this have on the quality of the instruction being delivered by Alberta teachers?  According to the Code of Professional Conduct, “ The teacher is responsible for diagnosing educational needs, prescribing and implementing instructional programs and evaluating progress of pupils” (http://www.teachers.ab.ca/About%20the%20ATA/UpholdingProfessionalStandards/UnprofessionalConduct/Pages/CodeofProfessionalConduct.aspx)  At what point does a teacher’s ability to do their job well become compromised?

Vicente examines the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) and its effectiveness in improving airline safety standards.  In his research, he cites a number of key variables in the organization’s effectiveness.  First, he stresses how “the ASRS couldn’t function effectively if it weren’t independent.” (pg 201)  The Alberta Teacher’s Association (ATA) serves as both a union and professional regulatory body.  By contrast, the nursing profession in Alberta has two separate bodies, the United Nurses of Alberta and The College & Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta.  The latter is in line with Vicente’s recommendation while the teaching profession is all under one body.

In terms of the reporting process of a safety issue in aviation, Vicente emphasizes how those who report are kept completely anonymous to avoid the “risk of being disciplined.” (pg 197)  He continues his analysis of the ASRS, “After the analysis is conducted, the identification strip is removed, and the report is “de-identified” by removing all the potential identifying features.” (pg 199)  This is different from both the teaching and nursing professions in Alberta.  According to The College & Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta website, “Complaints must be submitted to the Complaints Director in writing, include the first and last name of the regulated member, and be signed by the person filing the complaint.   CARNA does not accept anonymous complaints.” (http://www.nurses.ab.ca/Carna/index.aspx?WebStructureID=1212)  While the ATA website is not as explicit, it can be inferred that a name is required to begin an inquiry on misconduct.

So, why does this matter?  According to Vicente, the teaching profession has two strikes against it in terms of regulating itself professionally.  If a complaint process is intended to improve professional conduct of its members, the teaching profession has some work to do.  We are entering a phase of increasing complexities and workloads in education, relying less on specialists and more on generalists.  The scope of responsibilities is increasing, as does the potential for diluting quality.  What body regulates those who impose these increasing complexities on teachers?

Reader Response 6

I recall a talk Sharon Friesen gave at one of our PD sessions recounting the history of education and the industrial model it was founded upon.  She emphasized how in the past we intentionally bored our students to prepare them for working long hours performing monotonous tasks on an assembly line.  She challenged us to consider this model of education in relation to how our students currently learn how to "do school."

In the link below, Ken Robinson argues how "we are educating people out of their creative capacities.”  He maintains that Mathematics and Language Arts are given priority status in educational programming while arts education is universally marginalized.  I would agree; if a student shows proficiency in creative dance, is he given the same recognition as if he were able to solve two digit by three digit multiplication?  In my experience, the first thing parents ask about at parent / teacher conferences is how their child is doing in Mathematics and Language Arts.  Artistic ability and creativity are rarely discussed.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

How do we enact change in education?  How do we design a system that fosters and cultivates creativity?  In the 2009 report, What Did You Do in School Today? Willms, Friesen and Milton note that "the longer students remain in school, the less likely they are to be intellectually engaged. (pg 31)  In order to engage students, they must be immersed in tasks that are "relevant, meaningful and authentic." (pg 34)  It is through these authentic experiences that we allow our students to connect in meaningful ways, yet are we achieving this in our classrooms?  The report is as alarming as it is inspiring.

http://www.cea-ace.ca/sites/default/files/cea-2009-wdydist.pdf

We are headed in a bold new direction in education.  As educators, we face many obstacles: an entrenched industrialized model coupled with parents and administrators with a degree of comfort in these traditional approaches.  However, our biggest obstacle is that of stale practice.  We must allow for student creativity to come alive and foster authentic environments rich with creativity and opportunity.

Reading Response 5

For the past three years, I’ve been involved in running an extracurricular robotics club at our school.  There are two key goals of the club: to create an extracurricular opportunity for students to problem solve and socialize with other robotics enthusiasts, and to enable these students to serve as peer teachers in their respective classrooms.  The club has had a successful track record as an extracurricular group; parents and students show great enthusiasm for the work.  Yet where we fail is in the implementation of robotics kits into classroom settings.  Currently, teachers at our school do not incorporate this technology into their classrooms, and considering the significant investment of over three hundred dollars per kit, one has to wonder if this has been money well spent.

How then, could we build capacity for teachers to effectively implement robotics into their practice?  Vicente identifies one of the characteristics of poor teamwork as, “a failure to identify and communicate priorities, intention and plan.” (pg 164)  An effective communicator must “explicitly communicate his or her intent and actions.” (pg 168)  I think I assumed that if we got parents and students excited about robotics and achieved our first goal, the second goal would soon follow.  The problem is I haven’t effectively communicated these intentions to the staff.  Consequently when the extracurricular club ends, the robotics kits lie dormant.

Compounding the issue of communication are hierarchical considerations.  Vicente states how a class system “affects how people deal with each other; the level of respect and deference offered to an individual is determined by his or her place in the hierarchy.” (pg 171)  I am new to teaching and relatively new to my school, surrounded by colleagues with twenty or more years of experience compared to my four.  How does this factor into my initiation of a technological utilization plan?  What role should an administration play in guiding this process?

Human-tech thinking, according to Vicente, is defined as “designing systems to fit people at the team level.” (pg 179)  Given my place in the hierarchy and lack of communication of intent with my colleagues, how would I design a sustainable, team-focused technology integration system?  How would I convince a teacher who has never used robotics before to get on board?  What supports need to be in place to provide assurance to teachers that assistance is there when they need it?  The implementation strategy must not only be a sustainable fit for the team, but also sensitive to constraints of time, scheduling, resources and curricular requirements.