The Blackboard management system is a somewhat new educational technology. It allows students to track their progress without having to wait for a mid-semester progress report or set up a meeting with a professor. On the surface, this new invention created for educational purposes seems like a positive addition in facilitating efficiency in the classroom. Yet, after reading Winner’s essay “Do Artifacts have Politics?” it is clear there may be some underlying political disadvantages to this new direction in education.
For a student such as myself, who owns a computer and has unlimited access to the internet, Blackboard management system gives me the power to check assignment dates, test dates, look up required readings, check my academic progress, and read answers to pertinent questions that I might have about my major, college of study or minor.
It benefits teachers by allowing them to input information, such as a syllabus, online so they do not have to waste hundreds of sheets of paper. They are not bombarded with student questions like “how am I doing in class” or “what is my current grade?”
However, Blackboard management system does assume that students using this system will have 24 hour access to a computer, email and the Blackboard system. Notifications are often given through email or on the Blackboard main page. Therefore, a student who does not have the financial means to purchase a home computer or laptop is already at a disadvantage compared to those who can.
The argument can be made that those students can easily log into a library computer and check Blackboard; however, it doesn’t take into account that those students (because of their financial encumbrance) might not have the time. Once school is complete they might have to go straight to work for the next five to eight hours in order to pay for tuition, books, housing costs etc. In theory, Blackboard might put an added strain to those financially challenged students. In addition, because syllabi are often only put up on Blackboard, and often not given out to students in the classroom, the creators assumed all students would have access to a printer or have enough money to print out the sometimes three to five page documents.
Like one of the key points Winner alludes to, technology creates a path in which society will walk. He writes whether societies are conscious of this or not, the way in which technology is created will determine how and who will take part in this process. Winner gives an example of a building and road architect that created many low rising freeway overpasses in certain parts of Long Island and New York. According to Winner, the city planner’s purpose was to subtly make it impossible for public busses (that most low income black families used) unable to move across certain boundaries. Essentially keeping the lower class in a structured area and not allowing them to freely move about. It turns out the city planner Winner writes about had many racist and bigoted views; however, nonetheless the technology created in this situation and many others had underlying political motivations.
Although Blackboard management system seems like a positive step towards a more efficient educational system, one must ask himself if there are underlying political motives, conscious or not, and whether there are negative consequences, known or not. The basic question that should be examined is how does this facilitate or take away from the educational experience? Who and what type of people are benefiting from this new technology and how will this influence all communication and social structure for the educational system?
With rising tuition costs and a growing lower class, it seems to further isolate those who cannot afford relatively expensive institutions and technology. Furthermore it pushes teachers and students further apart, using the internet (Blackboard) as the main means of communication.
Time will tell the consequences of such technology. Until then it is anybody’s guess how this will affect our communication process.
No comments:
Post a Comment