Reading seminal texts in the space of educational technology is an important aspect for building a foundation of knowledge in the space as well as developing one’s own personal opinions about technology integration in schools.
While there are many seminal texts to choose from, there is one that stuck out to me immediately: The Enduring Classroom: Teaching Then and Now by Larry Cuban. Cuban’s text piqued my interest immediately for a few reasons. I describe a few of those reasons here.
Local
As a northeast Ohio native, I immediately was excited to see that the author, Larry Cuban, started his career as a teacher in Cleveland, Ohio. As Drew Carey says, CLEVELAND ROCKS! Born and raised in the area, I moved away for college and work. Eventually, I boomeranged back and currently reside in the city. I also have some experience as a substitute teacher in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. I enjoy sharing the Cleveland connection. Hopefully, this book will shed some light on how his experiences in Cleveland shaped his career path and if any parts of his time here influence his currently views.
Recent
Published just last year in 2023, this was the newest book on the list of suggestions provided by the teacher for this supplemental reading. While some of the other books are more integrated in the research conversation on educational technology because they have been around longer, I am particularly interested in hearing some of the latest perspectives from such a tenured education professional.
Prior Exposure
Larry Cuban has a very long standing and extensive blog. I had the opportunity to read some of his posts as part of assignments earlier in this course. I enjoy his perspective, writing style, and engagement with commentors. I am interested to see what stands out above and beyond the blog and is deemed worthy of publication in a book. As much as I enjoy his writing on his website, I am certain I will enjoy his writing in this book.
Lacking Reviews
One will be hard pressed to find a book review for this one!
That being said, I am glad to be going into this with a fairly neutral perspective.
Who knows, maybe I will even submit a formal review to Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Education Review or other credible educational review sources.
Check Back
While I haven’t started reading yet, I just received the paper copy in the mail today! I look forward to getting started. Check back here often for more of my thoughts as I post observations, notable quotes, reviews, questions, etc throughout my reading.