We can’t just use technology in our teaching, for the sake of it, or because that it the way things are now done.  Don’t just hand out a class set of ipads and be done with it, nor the should the focus soley be on how to use a device. Think back on the instruments of education in the past and of technology we learnt to use just a couple of decades earlier, which are now obsolete. Examples can be seen in the infographic I have shared from Fedena. Just as lesson planning is always about purposeful, resourceful, well thought out learning goals and outcomes, this too must be applied to learning technologies in the classroom and these applications need to be adaptable to whatever new device comes along next.

The purpose of technology is to explore and enhance the learning of concepts beyond what can be learnt with books, pens and paper alone.  It must be used in combination with various learning tasks and methods, not as the sole source of learning.  A good example of how technology can be used to enhance learning of mathematical concepts, can be seen in Lepre’s Learning Log here:

It is important that tech learning activities are carefully planned, to ensure optimum student/teacher interaction, enhanced interactive learning that expands upon concepts which can be easily taught by traditonal teaching styles, the plans should cater for all learning styles and types – including those children who are less drawn to using and working with technology.  There are a number of educational principles, such as Bloom’s Taxonomy, De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats and SAMR for example which can easily be adapted to plan lessons using technology.

Teachers cannot afford to fall behind in their professional development in the use and implementation of technology, so must be kept up to date and offered frequent upgrades to their training.