Photo by Gerberkun courtesy of Imgur.
In my experience, you can lead an educator to technology however, you can not make them prep.
Technology is most certainly not a “vitamin” that can be consumed with the expectation that benefits will passively and spontaneously appear. I very much align myself with Dede’s view on technology’s purpose within classrooms: “…emerging interactive media are tools in service of richer curricula, enhanced pedagogies, more effective organization structures, stronger links between schools and society, and the empowerment of disenfranchised learners.” (Kozma, 2003)
Designers of technology enhanced learning experiences are best served by staying true to their core pedagogical beliefs. As individual learners are unique, so are educators. My strengths as an educator will differ from my colleagues, therefore the technology that I utilize may also look different. In math and science, I believe that the best way to utilize technology is to focus on three questions:
- How can I bring science or math into my classroom in ways that I otherwise could not?
- How can technology be used to maximize social learning interactions (student-teacher or student-student)?
- How can technology be used to increase engagement, curiosity, and overall excitement to learn?