MuseForJews

Tech for tech

I read a lot of blog posts and articles where people caution – rant – against technology for technology sake. I’ve always been quick to agree that the cool tool shouldn’t be the bottom line – it needs to be about the learning.

Now I’m a grandmother (which is weird), and I have a three-week old grandson (which is weird). I’m thinking a lot about his life, which is being recorded digitally. Every bit of it, from the ultrasound to the hospital photos to the coming home video to the birth announcement. Even the bris…caught on tape (oy).

I don’t know – can’t even imagine – what kind of world this little guy is going to grow up in. But I can guess that technology is going to play a role.

I can only guess at what kind of skills he’ll need.

I was chatting with a friend after his birth. His name is a little unusual and I remarked that he’ll never find pencils with his name preprinted on them (this is my usual barometer for whether or not a name is acceptable). My friend correctly observed that it’s entirely likely that my grandson won’t need pencils.

This could be true.

Then what kind of skills will he need?

Probably some that involved using technology.

So…back to whether or not teaching technology for its own sake is acceptable. While I still believe that it’s not just about using the cool tool, I do believe that sometimes using technology for the sake of improving children’s skills in using it would be an acceptable reason.

Which, I suppose, makes it a little about tech for tech’s sake.

Pre-printed pencils be damned.

January 7, 2013 - Posted by Tktchr | What will be | educational technology