One day, the debate of whether to tech or not to tech will no longer make sense, no longer be discussed, no longer belong to a narrow community, who at times, sound fervently revolutionary to the non-practioners.
One day, the question of how truly relevant is the need to equip today’s learners with digital literacies will not be questioned.
One day, investing in technology in education will no longer be disregarded and set aside.
For the crucial issues lie elsewhere. As Lydia Dobyns points out in To Tech or Not to Tech? That is NOT the Question, (yet again, another writer highlighting the inevitable and relevant) is how to ensure that technology is indeed helping the learning process of students. As Dobyns asks:
“How do we provide learning that is relevant and rigorous? And how do we give teachers resources and training to engage students? Whenever I hear someone ask, “Do we need technology in the classroom,” I think we keep asking the same wrong questions. Whether we need technology in the classroom is not the question. The real question to ask is, “How do we assess and measure whether technology is helping the learning process?”
I am often still asked similar questions – wouldn’t a photocopy be enough? Wouldn’t simply using the classroom board be sufficient? Aren’t you supposed to be teaching X, Y, Z rather than technology? And every time I struggle to understand how educators can dismiss the urgent need to develop digital literacies in today’s young generation, who will be living in the future and not the past. Today, regardless of what subject or level of instruction, integrating the use of ICT in the curriculum is no longer a luxury nor watery pipedream for a faraway future (which will take place far, far from here – where ever here may be).
A more immediate and pressing question is how to verify that technology is indeed helping deep learning and not merely the superficial, simple click. A more interesting question is how technology is changing the way the brain operates and how in turn, this may affect identity and notions of self. There is a wealth of questions to ask, to inquire into , to wonder about.
Tech is here. It’s not going away any day soon.
Are you on the brink?