Comments on: Better Tools or Better Teaching?

By: Rhalmi Mohammed

Rhalmi Mohammed — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:53:03 +0000

I think that a good teacher is a good teacher with or without technology. Nevertheless, if technology could be put at the service of a dedicated teacher tremendous results abound…

By: Gerald Aungst

Gerald Aungst — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:33:01 +0000

@Kelly One thing that has frustrated me as a teacher (and which I hope to make an attempt to remedy as an administrator) is when teachers were handed new tools with little or no training in (a) how to use them and (b) how to teach with them.

As I write this, though, I realize that I’m a bit of a hypocrite here, since I introduced two new tools to my teachers this year and had little opportunity to do much more that get them signed up. What I’m trying to do, though, is be available to help and support them into the process, and to encourage them to keep coming back and trying them out. In this particular case, I think the tools are simple enough (blog and wiki) that they can ease in on simple uses–I’m also going to be making them a more integral part of what we do on a daily basis to help get them comfortable.

It will be interesting to see if any of my teachers read this blog and comment on how successful I’m being in that effort!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:08:51 +0000

Such a timely topic, I was just thinking about this today. We have a building full of amazing tools…new state of the art everything. But, some classrooms have much better learning going on than others. It isn’t the tool that makes the classroom great, it is the teacher. However, great teachers will use the technology available to them, and their classrooms will improve. I like what you said, it is a synergy of the two working together.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:52:24 +0000

I think that learning to teach with technology rather than teaching the technology has help me appreciate the educational struggle that students go through at times. Just as a student may have a wonderful paper in his head but has a hard time getting it to actually happen, I sometimes feel that way with technology. I “see” a great lesson in my mind but I have to work through the learning process to get it to happen (which can be true with or without technology). I think it was the “coolness” of the technology tools that first got me to use them while teaching, but now I have a hard time imagining a better way to cover the skills of critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving.

By: Tweets that mention Better Tools or Better Teaching? | Quisitivity.org -- Topsy.com

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:05:25 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Steven W. Anderson, Anne Simmons, Gerald Aungst, Izad Majid, Lydia Leimbach and others. Lydia Leimbach said: Thought provoking: Better Tools for Better Performance http://bit.ly/7KC0Ns #edtech [...]

By: Gerald Aungst

Gerald Aungst — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:44:51 +0000

@Tony, that’s a great point, and well taken. But I still contend that the “coolness” of the tool can grab the interest of some people who wouldn’t otherwise even think about the fact that their approach to teaching doesn’t work in the 21st century.

Another part of the problem is that there isn’t universal agreement on what 21st century literacy includes. Some have argued that what are now being labelled as 21st century skills are really just 20th century skills with new names. Collaboration and problem solving, for example, were just as important 20 or 50 years ago. I think perhaps the difference (or one difference, anyway) is that these skills are now critical for jobs at every level of the economy.

By: Tony Baldasaro

Tony Baldasaro — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:36:52 +0000

I appreciate you extending our conversation here. I too have thought a lot about that particular #edchat discussion as it not only was very provocative, but the struggle to decide how to budget monies for new technologies is a constant struggle.

My general thinking is this: Tools are great and they add untold benefits to students and teachers in the classroom. But, as “cool” as they are, their life cycle is such that by the time we infuse their use, the next “cool” tool is hitting the market. That is why I believe we need to invest more in tool independent pedagogy that is consistent with 21st century literacy – pedagogy that focuses on using any tool that is connective in nature and that support collaborative problem solving.

By: Gerald Aungst

Gerald Aungst — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:45:57 +0000

@Colleen and @Amy: I think that’s part of my point—that the availability of new technology can break us out of a rut. We get comfortable (or even complacent) with doing the same things the same way year after year. We know that people don’t learn unless they are moved outside of their comfort zones. Perhaps as schools embrace new technologies, it will encourage more teachers to re-examine their pedagogy. I suspect in at least some cases, learning the technology first can work backwards to help a teacher improve teaching skills.

@Elaine: I’m certain that it takes both. What I’m wondering, though, is if solid pedagogy must come first before a teacher can really take advantage of the technology, or whether both can grow and develop in parallel.

By: Colleen Young

Colleen Young — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:31:14 +0000

Such a good question and one I am currently pondering myself.
I do like to experiment with new technology – it can provide variety in my lessons for myself and the students.

Recently I showed them Storybird (http://storybird.com/) and have been delighted with some of the Maths ‘stories’ my young students have written. The fun element has inspired them to write about their Maths.

By: Elaine Willis

Elaine Willis — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:57:42 +0000

I don’t think it is an issue of one or the other. As you alluded to in your post, the most advanced educational technology will not make someone a good teacher. I also know excellent teachers who do not embrace much beyond an overhead projector. -grin-

However, if we can get those excellent teachers to utilize different technologies, the opportunities for learning abound.

The main thing I believe we have to be careful of is not allowing the technology to drive the lesson. For example, Twitter is not what we should be teaching. The content that can be found on Twitter is.

I have seen classes where the teacher was more concerned about the bells and whistles of a piece of technology than they were in what they were supposed to be teaching.

Again, I do not see this as an either/or issue, but a blending of pedagogy and tools.