If we agree that,"understanding is the primary objective of education" why then does instruction often fail to realize this objective? The question arises, are we already on information overload? Or will we have greater understanding of all there is to know through the use of technology?
We must meet students, intellectually, where they are. Will this cause much consternation for teachers already grappling with all levels of knowledge in the classroom? Will technology help answer this question? Will we be able to provide instruction with a balance of discovery in order for learning to take place?
Nickerson states,"a major challenge facing the teacher is that of motivating students to put out the required effort."Teachers need to provide a supportive environment where students' failures may be turned into useful learning experiences and that without that effort one's ability to understand complex concepts is likely to be limited."
Explorable microworlds which begin with a simplified situation and progress to the complicated as a student's understanding grows seem like a possible answer.The impersonal and nonthreatening nature of technology would seem to provide a workable alternative to teacher/student instruction.
Nickerson concludes "...the potential is also there for applying technology in ways that do little to enhance understanding or that even hinder learning.Only if technology is applied in ways that are consistent with principles that promote teaching for understanding will it have the desired beneficial effect.