Comments on: Why (educational) technology? http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2009/05/13/why-educational-technology/ Education. Technology. Productivity. Wed, 23 May 2012 07:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: David H. Parish http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2009/05/13/why-educational-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-5844 David H. Parish Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:51:00 +0000 http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/?p=2207#comment-5844 Why technology? As you imply, the question seems absurd if rephrased to ask "Why use teaching tools capable of delivering a more engaging, nuanced and relevant learning experience"? The discussion is not and should never be about technology. Rather it's about making a commitment to continually improving how we go about fulfilling the core responsibilities of education, to insure we (a) have an informed electorate capable of engaging in civic duties, (b) can contribute to our personal and collective economic well-being and (c) support a collective morality and culture. To the extent we elevate our effectiveness in these three area, we thrive! Fall behind, and we suffer. Why technology? As you imply, the question seems absurd if rephrased to ask “Why use teaching tools capable of delivering a more engaging, nuanced and relevant learning experience”? The discussion is not and should never be about technology. Rather it’s about making a commitment to continually improving how we go about fulfilling the core responsibilities of education, to insure we (a) have an informed electorate capable of engaging in civic duties, (b) can contribute to our personal and collective economic well-being and (c) support a collective morality and culture. To the extent we elevate our effectiveness in these three area, we thrive! Fall behind, and we suffer.

]]> By: Jill J. http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2009/05/13/why-educational-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-5814 Jill J. Fri, 15 May 2009 01:50:00 +0000 http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/?p=2207#comment-5814 I understand that budgets are tight but price should not be an obstacle in the way of us preparing our students for their future endeavors. Our students education should never be compromised. Computers are not going away. They have a permanent place in our world and in our lives, therefore students should be subjected, exposed, and familiarized with them and their capabilites. Our students may hold jobs that do not even exist right now with the current level of technology, but as our technology advances, our students need to be prepared to work with advances such as these. I understand that budgets are tight but price should not be an obstacle in the way of us preparing our students for their future endeavors. Our students education should never be compromised. Computers are not going away. They have a permanent place in our world and in our lives, therefore students should be subjected, exposed, and familiarized with them and their capabilites. Our students may hold jobs that do not even exist right now with the current level of technology, but as our technology advances, our students need to be prepared to work with advances such as these.

]]> By: Why Technology :: Patrick Malley http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2009/05/13/why-educational-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-2417 Why Technology :: Patrick Malley Thu, 14 May 2009 10:23:14 +0000 http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/?p=2207#comment-2417 [...] Why Educational Technology? [...] [...] Why Educational Technology? [...]

]]> By: Karyn Romeis http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2009/05/13/why-educational-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-5813 Karyn Romeis Thu, 14 May 2009 08:26:00 +0000 http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/?p=2207#comment-5813 Oh, oh, oh. You done opened a can of worms here! Did you see the video embedded in <a href="http://karynromeis.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-do-we-want-to-do.html" rel="nofollow">my post </a>yesterday? For me, that pretty much sums it up. You hit the nail on the head pointing out that pens and paper are technology. As are desks, classrooms, school buildings, traditional whiteboards.... In fact, perhaps it could even be argued that the intangible methodology is technology. As Heppell says in the video, these days we can make technology do whatever we want. The question is: WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO? That is the right conversation. The right question. How can we use technology is the wrong question. It will be answered ipso facto when the right question is answered. Oh, oh, oh. You done opened a can of worms here!

Did you see the video embedded in my post yesterday? For me, that pretty much sums it up. You hit the nail on the head pointing out that pens and paper are technology. As are desks, classrooms, school buildings, traditional whiteboards…. In fact, perhaps it could even be argued that the intangible methodology is technology.

As Heppell says in the video, these days we can make technology do whatever we want. The question is: WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO? That is the right conversation. The right question. How can we use technology is the wrong question. It will be answered ipso facto when the right question is answered.

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