Fear Of Technology Doesn’t ‘Compute’

Once upon a time, long long ago, 34 years BT (Before Technology), children still played and knew how to build a fort. In the classroom, chalk was the “Smartpen” and learners couldn’t access or make notes on a tablet (unless it was a panado…)

The world of teaching has however changed significantly. Classrooms now have interactive white boards, nifty projectors and teachers have access to tools such as and E-Classroom where lessons can be sourced quick and easy. But there are still some instances where teachers are more terrified of technology than the end-of-year exam marking process.

Technology is not a substitute for good teaching, but rather provides the best teachers with the tools to engage pupils in learning. No one would question the methods of the truly creative teacher who can “enter a classroom with only a marker pen for company and produce a brilliant lesson using only their professional brilliance and a stern expression. But in reality, how many teachers would choose to engage a class of pupils this way?

This is where the argument against technology really begins to fall apart. Children of today have grown up with technology. They respond to technology in the classroom because it feels like an extension of what they do in their free time. To get the best out of pupils we need to do what parents and teachers have always done – harness their children’s passions and interests.

The fear of technology in the classroom stems from the fact children are real boffins when it comes to working a tablet or computer. They probably know more than most grownups when it comes to all things that are perceived as robots. Instead of being so concerned that they know more than you do, embrace it and appreciate the fact that you will never have to worry about a faulty connection from your white board to your laptop or struggle with login drama.

With so many choices when it comes to technology, it’s vital that schools assess their needs thoroughly. Teachers at schools across the UK are already using hand-held learning devices, school radio stations, blogs, podcasts, digital photography and video conferencing to create increasingly stimulating and exciting environments for their students to learn in.

But technology of this kind is not a substitute for good teaching, which is at the core of effective education. Rather, technology provides teachers with powerful tools to enrich and extend what the best teachers are good at: explaining, demonstrating, and involving and engaging pupils in learning.

Speaking to The Telegraph in 2014, Lord Puttnam, who is Chairman of Atticus Education, an online education company, also spoke of the “natural conservatism” of many people in education, particular in higher education, with regards to developments in education and technology. “It is possible that those people, because of their fears, will hold back changes that could happen a lot quicker,” he said. “We really need visionary teachers who can use all these new resources, who are not intimidated by them.”
There is only one moral to the technology in the classroom story: Roll with the changes! In our high-paced lifestyle and ever-evolving world, the only constant thing is change. Don’t let fear hold you back from empowering our young leaders of tomorrow. Embrace the resources to make your life easier as well! Remember, you are still in control on what you want technology to do for YOU. You have to surf the Net a few time before you can stand on your board and not crash into the waves.