On letting go...

“Go, litel bok, go, litel myn tragedye”





Chaucer writes these lines at the end of his work Troilus. I find much wisdom in these lines as Chaucer expresses how he is letting go of his work. He has written it and now that it is to be read by many he as no control over how people will understand his work.

Chaucer’s sentiments echo into my worries as a teacher-to-be. I would think that, issues of control are a challenge to all teachers especially when educational technology is used as a vehicle/tool for learning. Whereas currently, technology assumes a major role as information providers, there are quite a number of risks that need to be addressed.

For instance, though I think the teaching method of scaffolding is effective, at first look, letting go can be daunting. In scaffolding, the teacher would give support to his/her student, just enough for the student to get some kind of footing but the student has to find it in him/herself the want and the strength to decide, to make and take that step further and learn. The key is to be able to let go and let the student learn according to his/her “learning style.” I strongly believe that there is nothing better than learning that is quite personal and in scaffolding, the student makes his/her own connections/understanding of a given material.

Oh! But indeed, “myn tragedye!” As a teacher, it is hard to feel that one has no control over the student (or what is happening). In thinking about this, I imagine my father as he was teaching me to ride a bike. It must have been the scariest and at the same time exhilarating moment when he let go of me and just watch me pedal away. I remember that I didn’t notice at first that my father had let go – but I felt so much “bigger” when I did find out I was doing it on my own.

But yes… letting go is quite a challenge for teacher. It is especially tougher if you start to think about how students can possibly abuse the trust and freedom that is presented to them. In the case of educational technologies, as much as we want students to learn and navigate through the libraries of the net – there is that temptation of writing papers directly copied from wikipedia or sparknotes and other websites without really taking time to understand the context. There will be students who can abuse the use of electronic mails using them to create destructive behavior (spreading intrigue, slander, gossip, etc.). As much as you don’t want to limit ways in which your students can learn, parameters must be set.

There are other hazards to the learning process that can be possibly be encountered in the use of educational technology that will need "control" as a preventive measure. A snag sometimes is created in the fabric of learning when such usage is not handled competently, as when students are caught "over dwelling” in a certain point of the lesson. Too much enthusiasm to gather too many information available (over dosage) can end up in "dangles", i.e., the learner become careless in pursuing so much and yet omit certain aspects of the lesson.


The use of educational technology is an outcome of valuable progress and concomitant risks need not be confronted with aversion versus its utilization. We cannot underestimate its benefits in terms of information accessibility and the vast/rich knowledge it can provide the learners/researchers. Students, as they navigate the net, go through certain learning modes as independent study, discovery learning, creative thinking, skillful research, etc. Moreover theories of Constructivism, Multiple Intelligences, IPT (Information Processing Theory), Self-Efficacy, etc. can be satisfied or realized through the use of educational technology.

I believe there are functions that a teacher must perform so as to steer learning and have some control without hindering students to learn most effectively. Teachers can be directors of desired learning goals. They can assume sensitive executive functions which can serve as guidelines to "control" the would-be undesirable outcomes or impediments to the desired learning goals to be achieved. Such functions are as follows:

• Planning: selecting content and setting time frame for learning
• Communicating goals: structuring and conveying adequately expectations
• Regulating extent of exposure to materials: recommending /setting appropriate pacing, sequencing of data gathering.
• Evaluating: monitoring achievement by consistent follow-up to ensure that progress is focused on the desired learning outcome.

I think if I were to effectively carry out such functions, I should not worry about letting go so much – and I would have the same courage as Chaucer and one day say:

“go little one – go...”