Philosophy about technology use in the classroom:

“To teach is to teach how to think.”

"If you dare to teach, then you must dare to learn."

Years ago, the use of handheld calculators was suspect and controversial in math classes around the country, viewed as ‘crutches” in the learning process, that students would become too dependent on them. Curriculums were developed to integrate calculator use while still teaching the mathematical processes. I think many kids did become too reliant on technology (calculators) when I see older students not being able to count change at a retail store or students not understanding long division theory, but instead, just punching in the numbers. I think that we don’t yet know the long term consequences of technology use in schools and therefore must use them sparingly, judiciously, and continue our research.
Technology is one in a variety of instructional strategies to accommodate the diversity in classrooms. When meaningful and constructive work, such as research, is integrated into the curriculum, and computers and other technology are just one tool used, then I believe technology is valuable in a classroom to facilitate instruction. It should be considered one tool that facilitates and enhances instruction of the other content areas while also exposing students to real-world skills that will be used in higher education and the work place. My technology philosophy must include appropriate balance of learning activities which meet the needs of all learning styles and personalities.

Whether it is an emcee reminding concert goers to silence their cell phones, a professor reminding university students to not text during lectures, pastors asking parishioners to turn off cells and Ipods during services, or legislators mandating that drivers hang up, not text and drive safely, we have become abusers of technology. We, adults and students, very recently have developed rude inappropriate behaviors regarding technology. It is unfortunate that technology has supplanted personal contact and good manners. Teachers have become ‘enforcement agents’ about appropriate use of technology, policing kids away from some internet sites or Facebook entanglements. My philosophy of technology must include respectful use and consideration of others.

I believe in living simply. I believe there is too much consumerism in the world. We buy and discard too much stuff. Technology in schools adds to the waste stream. During my tenure as a teacher we changed computer systems throughout the district at least three times to “stay current with technology”. Not only was it an expensive process financially, there was no plan for recycling the “old” when we brought in new equipment. And, much personal and professional development time had to be devoted to learning new programs and procedures. I don’t want to be a part of the consumerism stream involving unnecessary software and hardware purchases.
I don’t want to endorse the inequities of students who can or cannot afford the most current technological trends. I believe that students do need to learn real life skills, and certainly technology is out in the real world; however, as Dewey articulated, school is a place to simply learn, not to learn how to work. If students need career skills, call technology a career skill and not build a reliance on it for our curriculum. My technology philosophy insists that it be socially equitable and contribute to students’ positive self esteem.

There are many books and articles about technology in the classroom. One recent one is included in the magazine, Rethinking Schools at
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_04/lapt224.shtml