- Simple & Seamless. Technology should have a nice, intuitive feel to it. Look at the success of the I-pods and I-phones and such. These days, using one (at least most of their functions, especially the primary ones) doesn't really require a wealth of time or education. I see using technology more as a vehicle to get something done, not the job itself. Technology should facilitate gathering information, not get in the way of it.
- Accessible. If it's worth having, then it shouldn't be a chore to use it when needed.
- Reliable.
- Flexible
That being said. Here are some things I think are wise to consider when deciding on whether to implement technology in education:
- Will it help me/my students do something, we weren't able to do before? or expedite some process? Maybe that "something" is relating better to my subject (better engagement, perhaps), or to other students (with regard to their understanding of science). Maybe it is a way to collect data, organize it, analyze it, and/or communicate it. Maybe it is a way of observing or manipulating something they were incapable of in the past.
- Is it going to be a substitute brain for my students? Will it "do too much" for them and process information for them, thus leaving them out of the loop and lacking in thinking skills they should be developing themselves? I think that answer is most often in how teachers allow/encourage students to use that technology.
I think of graphing calculators and how their programs can be used to perform functions (like automatic graphing) that I want my students to know how to do first. Mind you, these same calculators allow students to solve problems in multiple ways, that would be too tedious or arduous to do otherwise. I do allow and encourage my students to use technology, as long as it is a supplement to their own thinking and work, not a replacement of it.
