Technology for Technology Sake

Recent educational journals, magazines, and newspapers have been advocating the use of technology within the educational landscape.  Even conversations amongst educators and parents echoed the same sentiments.  Positive results have also been observed from children using apps to improve their command of language and their counting skills.

This conversation is not new.  Ever since the explosion of the World Wide Web into our daily life, educators have been thinking about how to harness technology to make learning and teaching more interactive, more engaging and more efficient for all. 

I am a believer of trying out new ideas, methods and pedagogy; as long as they are sound and well-intended.  Much has been said about the efficacy of technology.  I would like to suggest another - to reduce the emotional distance between the teacher and her students.  In a class of 40 students, the teacher is just an authoritative voice.  It is a tall order to ask of the teacher to build a strong bond with each of her student – to understand each unique temperament, character and the challenges he faces both in school and at home.

How then can technology help?  Snoop around Facebook and Twitter, and it becomes clear that our young are very comfortable with sharing their feelings, thoughts and ideas with others.  We educators need to use this to our advantage!  There is no need to wait for the year-end feedback or until the “Meet-the-Parents” day.  Our children are communicating with us and reaching out to us, but are we listening?

Irregardless of how technology has modified the way children want to learn, the effect of care and concern that one human being has for another will not change.  Our children will only learn better and enjoy learning more if they know that there’s someone whom they can trust.  Someone who is not there to judge them, but is genuinely concern about them and want them to succeed in their own ways.  Let's use technology to bring us closer to our children!

There are many other ways technology can help us educators.  This communication platform is here to stay and embracing it sooner rather than later is wise advice.  However, it is silly to champion technology just because “it’s technology!”.  “Why do we want to use it?”, “How do we want to use it?” and, “Where do we want to use it?” are important questions that we educators need to ask ourselves first.  Sounds familiar?