Technology in Education?

Technology is changing at a faster pace than most of us can keep up with, but this is the world we find ourselves in.  In spite of the apprehensions we may have, I strongly believe that the vast majority of technical tools that are available to us today enhance, encourage, and inspire learning.  Being able to "google" anything that you have a curiosity about is an amazing phenomenon.  The sharing of ideas on an international level via the internet has truly opened up the world in a way that just wasn't accessible twenty years ago.

I am convinced that in 2012 and beyond, it is imperative for teachers to have enough humility and courage to accept that they are no longer the ones that have all the knowledge.  It is no longer the case where all the knowledge is inside the teacher's head and it is her job to somehow convey that knowledge to her pupils.  Teachers need to transform into facilitators of learning.  They need to nurture, encourage, and guide students towards asking  probing questions and learning how to find the answers to those questions, themselves.

Does this mean that I believe every child should have access to an ipad, ipod or other personal device in the classroom all the time? Well, I do think there is a value in that, especially when doing research on a particular topic.  Another great use of such devices would be to collaborate with other students in other classrooms, perhaps in another province or maybe even a different continent. What a fantastic opportunity!

Even though I see incredible value in the technical tools available to us, I also see immense value in having a good part of each day without any screens or devices.  We need time to immerse ourselves in all the beauty that is present in nature, culture, and the arts.  Children (and adults!) have an innate need to commune with nature, to spend time quietly admiring and being present in creation. In addition, humans have been designed with an incredible ability to create and express themselves musically, artistically, and dramatically.  We need to keep these part of education.

On top of this need to be in nature, and to express ourselves creatively, we need to be in community.  Sociology over thousands of years has shown us that humans are happiest in community.  Without community, humans become depressed. That is the  caveat to our ever increasing technical world.  We need to have the self-control to know when to turn it off and enjoy all that we have been created to be.