It's Not About the Technology

I completely agree with the post that Kelly Hines wrote. She said quite a few things that I have believed and tried to get other people to see for a while. Technology is not the key to education in the future. It is important, useful, convenient, and is a great supplement. I just don't think it should be the top priority. She mentioned some things that teachers must understand and be willing to do before they can be successful. I believe that the teacher is the foundation in the classroom, and if the foundation is not strong, it cannot support the rest of the structure (students), with or without the help of the technological tools. Mrs. Hines said that teachers must be learners and have a pro-learning attitude. That is exactly what I hope to be. If the teacher is unwilling to learn, I do not think that he or she will be keen to learn to use and get creative with technology enough to be successful with it and benefit the students.

I especially liked when Mrs. Hines applied physics to education and said that if the students did not learn anything, then no teaching was done. She said, "Teaching in the 21st century is going to be about working smarter, not harder." That is exactly right. Too many teachers push and push the information onto students, but they do not get creative enough and manipulate the method of teaching enough for the students to learn. I think that technology could be used as an aid to present the material differently and more creatively, but I think that it would have to start with the teacher being willing to get creative. There were several topics that present things that teachers can improve themselves before getting technology involved that would be beneficial. I think that the bottom line is that in order for technology to be used successfully, the teacher must be able to be successful without it, by having those qualities that Mrs. Hines listed. Better teachers is the priority, technology is the supplement that, when combined with a great teacher, will bring a number of possibilities for achievement into the classroom.