Learning Journal # 1

In the article Toward a Society of an Educational Technology, explains the positives and negatives of the Bureaucracy as a Condition of Organizations with technology. I can really relate to this line, “organization’s workers soon seem to focus exclusively on the rules and procedures established to provide accountability and control, rather than on the people or problems the bureaucratic system ostensibly exists to address.” I relate to this line because I work for the university. There are many rules and regulations we have to follow that sometimes are unnecessary. For example, I am unable to have access to my storage areas buildings because my Buck Id does not have clearance. My managers have to unlock a keycard for me to access these buildings. These can be very tedious when I have to wait for a manager to unlock the keycard so I can get my tasks completed. I understand that they do this for security concerns but if I am to access this buildings several times a day anyways, I should just have access with my Buck Id. In my opinion, having a pair of keys locked up is also an over abundance of security. The solution for this problem is getting clearance from management, then upper management, and then campus public safety. There is such a distance with the chain of command that this request may take awhile.

This makes me recall the text the Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary,
one the definitions of managing and appropriate. The text defines managing to be “quality control” and to be an attribute of “leadership.” I find that the keys scenario is a strong example of how technology has to have proper quality control. I also understand the leadership role with the responsibility of having security access.

With all of this in mind, using technology in a university setting has to pass several rules and regulations. The technology that is used has to be managed properly but also needs to retain quality control. It is important as a educator to be patient and understanding of the rules in place when implanting new technology. This is something I know I will continue to grapple with in the future. As a future educator my job will be to improve and strengthen quality and leadership attributes with educational technology.

One thought on “Learning Journal # 1

  1. You raise a unique point that no one else mentioned – the bureaucracies that technologies create and need to sustain themselves. The tie ins with quality and leadership are important because without them a bureaucracy creates more problems than it solves.

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