A response to the article Affectibility in education CS 875 Steven Wong

  Hello professor and class. I read the article very carefully and I think the socio-technical issues are the integration of the technology of learning laptops to people who are in grammar school and at the beginning stages of the learning process. There are a lot of other issues like how to develop some kind of context where it would make sense for this technology to be used even if the schools are using a traditional paper, pen, raised hand or brick and mortar  educational setup. there were technical issues like using the internet in countries that do not use information technology as much as the United States of America. The plan was to use technology to boost the confidence and self esteem of students to motivate them to learn better and to be excited about school and not view getting an education as a chore. One child student named Victor was mentioned and this person learned that the meaning of his name meant "Victorious One' or "Winner" and it gave him the motivation and confidence to read and learn more things using technology to bridge the literacy gap among all groups of people.

    In the paper the researcher or author proved that computers can be used in social events like when the students used laptops in a Brazilian independence day celebration. This act showed how people can socialize and attend events while using technology to continue their education without missing out on socializing with others in their culture. The laptops were applied to 4 cases with students which were: Case 1 : transforming homework assignments, Case 2 : integrating the school in interdisciplinary activities, Case 3: using XO laptops inside and outside school walls, and Case 4: student volunteers. This article mentioned a diagram called the semiotic onion. The diagram is a layered situation that has an informal outer layer, a formal inner layer and a technical core. In the informal outer layer, most caregivers would not be able to use the laptop and engage in their child's events, and educators are not feeling comfortable with a technological solutions they do not know a lot about. In the same diagram on the inner formal layer of the semiotic onion, it is noted that not all child students were permitted to take laptops back to their residence due to fear or theft from educators, and caregivers. Some educators were concerned that interdisciplinary events would not work with the use of laptops in classrooms. In the technical case of the security onion diagram, there are difficulties regarding response time when engaging in classroom activities on laptops, along with connecting to the internet not being available all the time when using the laptop, the grading system being very different from the traditional teaching set up is another issue on the socio-technical concern. Another issue for laptops is present due to not enough outlets to plug in to the wall to keep the laptops charged in a classroom setting. 

 

References:

Hayashi, E.S., & Baranauskeis, M.C. (2013). Affect ability in educational technologies: A socio-technical perspective for design.     Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 57-68