One issue regarding technology in education that I do not feel has been sufficiently addressed is equity.
While I adore traditional books, I can still see the significant benefits that come from going digital when it comes to many of our books and libraries. For me, however, I believe that a balance of the two is significant, and that there isn't a need to obliterate traditional books. Sometimes it seems as though there's always a new best thing, and everyone rushes over to that side of the see-saw, when we could probably just stop going back and forth and balance it out in the middle just fine.
Students are now able to have their phones in the classroom. It makes perfect sense in many ways to utilize this when possible and to use phones to encourage our students to become engaged. However, I also believe that it requires a significant degree of sensitivity. Technology, to many, seems to be viewed as an essential part of daily life these days. However, for many it is not a daily reality. To assume that all of our students have a phone that supports the Apps we would like to share is to ignore the socio-economic dynamics that are present in many of our classrooms - many that we fail to notice, should we not look hard enough.
The idea of using ipads and ipods in the classroom is no longer a novel idea. However, one thing that concerns me when it comes to technology in the classroom is funding. Schools never seem to have enough of that. What happens when a teacher has some fantastic lessons planned, but a couple of students (or many, many more depending on a variety of factors) do not have the means to access such technology? In my opinion, if technology is truly the way of the future, and is so very important to the learning of our innovative students, than there must be more funding to assure that this is a need that is addressed just as many others in the classroom. Text books are always supplied. Now it is time for the funding to catch up with the 21st Century.
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