The Two Educational Technologies: Technology for Consumption vs Technology for Creation

Introduction

Technology in education can be easily classified by purpose.  A technology is either intended for consumption or creation.  While technologies do not neatly fit these categories and can easily overlap, the distinction between consumption and creation is very important for choosing a school-based technology.  We need to choose technologies that allow our students to create.  The process of creation is a learning activity that reaches beyond memorization and into application.

Unfortunately, in education, we have focused on knowledge acquisition too heavily for too long.  Only recently has education began to focus on skill acquisition and knowledge application.  As a result of this, the technology in education is still evaluated and used primarily for knowledge acquisition.

Consumption Technology

As the name implies, consumption technology encompasses devices and technologies that present information for consumption by the user.  The information can be in any form: text, video, audio, etc. But, the purpose of the technology is the same: consumption.

While information consumption is useful, it is not a very demanding learning skill and should not be separate from application of the received knowledge.  Consider Bloom's Taxonomy (provided below).  Information consumption would only occupy the level of Knowledge or Comprehension, which are the lowest levels of the taxonomy.

via Syracuse University

Examples of Consumption Technologies

iPads/Tablets

iPads were and still are media consumption devices.  For that matter, all tablets are media consumption devices.  If you need to browse the web, watch a video, listen to music, or play a game, then a tablet is a great choice.  However, the devices are not intended for creation, despite what Microsoft wants us to believe.

Typing on a tablet is a chore.  Editing video is difficult.  Creating graphics with text is challenging.  Almost all tasks involving creation are harder on a tablet than on a different device.  

Drilling Software

Despite the research (Clements, 1992) that demonstrates that drill-and-practice software is not more effective than other methods of knowledge acquisition, most school districts deploy drill-and-practice software extensively (Google Scholar will return even more research if you wish to investigate).  As an example, SuccessMaker, from Pearson, has huge penetration in the education market, but it is little more than online drill-and-practice.

Creation Technology

As its name implies, creation technology allows students to use their knowledge to create a product.  The product can take many forms: videos, presentations, experiments, physical objects, etc.  But, the one concept that connects the products is that their creation requires critical thought.

Referring back to Bloom's Taxonomy, creating requires application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, or a combination of those.  For a student to create, he must have knowledge of what is to be created that must be applied, analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated in order to create a product.

Examples

Laptops/Chromebooks

In order for technology to be used for creation, there must be an easy and intuitive manner to input information into the device instead of just receiving information from the device.  Laptops and Chromebooks allow the user to input information in an intuitive manner through a keyboard, camera, microphone, etc.  Tablets, in contrast, require touch navigation that is not easy when information needs to be entered.  They can capture video and audio, but the information is difficult to manipulate on the device.

LEGO and Other Robotics Packages

The process of making and programming a robot is a demanding learning task.  In addition, it forces students to work together to learn and solve problems.  The hardware and software for robotics activities are available for K-12 students.  While students build and program a robot, they engage in knowledge acquisition, but this knowledge is always used for the task at hand.

Implications for Decision-Making

In educational technology, we must make the same changes that we are experiencing in curriculum.  We should not buy and disperse technology that continues to separate the tasks of knowledge acquisition from knowledge application.  Hardware and software that makes the user passive does not result in learning.

If I can finish with a call, please stop buying technologies that do not result in student learning!  Imagine if all the money used to purchase drill-and-repeat software were used to purchase robotics kits, 3D printers, etc.  Our students could make some of the most beautiful and astounding products.  If you have ever watched a child create, you can appreciate the beauty of the process and the product.  Stop complaining that students don't have creativity and aren't excited about learning when you don't give them the tools they need to create!