The Concept
In today's hustle and bustle world, with seemingly everyone multitasking, over scheduled, and burning the candles at both ends, have we become too dependent on technology simply because it is easier, or is it because we cannot devote the time to working problems out by hand?
I believe that it is a little of both, but that we also should not allow ourselves to fall away from teaching, learning, and understanding how to work concepts by hand. What are we to do if technology fails to support what we demand of it? Countless times I have been writing a paper or working on problems while doing my online homework and I have been thankful that I have backed up my work on my computer - as it seems that when you need the work most, there is a technological hiccup.
How do we stay ahead of technology?
The best way for us to stay ahead of technology it to continue teaching children the concepts, but blending it in a way that they can be done with or without technology. It seems that most who try to answer this question say it is "easier" to go away from the "old school" curriculum in general (such as in a previous blog I had wrote about long division). Do I agree that technology has streamlined and simplified many things in our lives? Absolutely. I'm an avid techie just like most who have grown up in my generation. I do feel that there is a strong reason to continue teaching the concepts by hand: Brains are biological and permanent. Computers can be unplugged, deleted, and disassembled.
For those of us who are studying to be educators: What is to become of us if we are simply all using computers (solely) for our lesson plans? Are we all going to be referred to as a type of curriculum "programmer"? Maybe an Electrical Educator? I think that some of the everyday concepts we know and love are taught through live, personal interaction with one another.
The following are a couple of interesting links to teaching with or without the use of technology:
Can You Teach Without Technology?
Evolution or Revolution?
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