With This In Mind

Teachers need training before they can use technology. The key word in that sentence is ‘before’. It cannot be denied that teachers can benefit from training and that training can produce benefits for education. However, the notion held by some that teachers need training before they use technology is somewhat erroneous, especially when the excuse is one used by those teachers themselves who are not using technology. Did you receive training in using a washing machine, a television, a radio, a video recorder (remember them?) or mobile phone, before you started using them, almost certainly not. Electronic technology is different in that it is more versatile and significant than any one of those other devices but you do not need training beforeyou start to use it. Indeed, training in education technology use is often more effective when taking users beyond the basics of operating the device(s)/service(s) and developing their use in the curriculum.

More is more bigger and better. For many years, this would seem to have been a mantra in education technology. At first it was evidenced by schools collecting software which, regrettably, then spent time lying unused in cupboards, latterly it has been seen in schools creating first one suite or computer room, then another and another, all linked by more and more complex networking infrastructure. Education technology is very varied in nature and smaller, more personal devices, are now readily available. Using such devices could allow a more flexible approach to using technology in education and help sway us from the expensive ‘one size fits all’ approach of ‘big’ technology.

...