Classroom Technology: To be or not to be….?

Classrooms are set up very similar to how they were 50 years ago – with very limited technology being utilized.  Teachers share their frustration with technology, with the Wi-Fi, with “things not working” and who are the real people missing out? The students.

It is vital for any new technology being implemented in the classroom to be able to answer a few simple questions.

Does this fill a need for our students?

Does this stimulate or encourage student growth and engagement?

Are teachers able to use this effectively?

What happens if it doesn’t work like it’s supposed to?

These questions, albeit simplified, draw past experiences on how many new ed-tech tools are malfunctioning or not providing real value to the overall institution.

This is sad on many levels.  A product or service being bought with the highly coveted tuition dollars should be effective ALL THE TIME.  The fact that so many issues arise from technology is upsetting.

The time stolen from students learning is the main reason of course for these negative associations.  Solving this problem must be a system-wide approach to answering these questions and then deciding on what tools are most advantageous to the students.

Technology is just a tool.  In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.  – Bill Gates

Technology should be simple and effective.  Offering students a place where engagement allows peer to peer learning without being distractive.