The Real Value of Using Technology in Your Classroom

The real value of using technology in your classroom is not:

• student engagement- If you want better student engagement, design better lessons.
• the "cool" factor- see above
• 21st century skills- Identify what that means first, then we will talk.
• parent involvement- Do we really need to make more excuses for unengaged parents?
• learning how to keyboard- I won't even dignify this one with a response #oopsIguessIjustdid

The real value of using technology in your classroom is:

• creating connections- We learn so much through others that are different.
• sharing- We are smarter than I.
• conversations-A post is an attempt to start a conversation, a comment makes it happen.

Technology is not only about doing old things in a new way (although  there is nothing wrong with that). Technology should be about creating opportunities for us to learn from others when that would be impossible without it.

What do you think?