Comments on: Good Teachers Don’t Need Technology

By: Education Technology; Teaching Tool or Learning Tool? | doug woods

Education Technology; Teaching Tool or Learning Tool? | doug woods — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:42:42 +0000

[...] me, a good teacher is one who uses technology in their work ( see my article elsewhere on good teachers and technology), a great teacher is one who extends that to encourage, support and develop their learners’ [...]

By: @janwebb21

@janwebb21 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:37:21 +0000

Great post! I completely agree – but what makes a teacher good? It’s not their use of tech, it’s their wise choices about appropriate use so it enhances learning. People who use tech appropriately are just as likely to use a wide variety of techniques to engage and inspire.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:44:54 +0000

I was led to your post via a Tweet and title intrigued me. I have been actually thinking about this, but more along the lines of ‘Can You Teach Without Tech?’.

I think that questions such as these do not have a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. (Though some magazines might want you to take such a stance.) The answers to these questions really need to look at the pedagogy of teaching, rather than on the tools used to teach.

Another interesting question might be ‘Can Students Learn Without the Tech?’.

And since we are still faced with digital divides, school budgets slashing what little technology resources might be available to teachers, and staff that continues to look at the “WOW!” factor rather than on the pedagogical factor of tech tools I would rather see ‘technology’ replaced with ‘resources’ (whatever those may be).

Just my 3 cents worth.

By: @teaching_music

@teaching_music — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:18:43 +0000

I’m with you: There are many things a teacher could forgo and still get the job (learning) done. But good teachers know that there are tools and techniques which will enhance learning. And it isn’t just about things that plug in. The chalkboard represented cutting edge technology at one time.

By: Erin

Erin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:30:48 +0000

Had the privilege of hearing Terry Holliday the Kentucky Commissioner of Education speak on Friday. He echoes these sentiments. He said that he has heard several teachers say “I’ve been teaching this way for 20 (or 30) years and it’s working fine.” He went on to say that the standard teacher as lecturer lesson delivery has been happening for over 100 years, and that it’s only reaching 50% of kids, and that is not good enough.

By: Kyle Pace

Kyle Pace — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:22:00 +0000

Great post Doug. It’s nice to hear a different perspective. What I’ve heard recently is that “technology doesn’t make a better teacher.” while this is true to an extent, teaching is a lifelong learning profession. We’re 10 years into the 21st century. Times have changed.

I believe it was @Luke1946 that tweeted, “Good teachers don’t need technology, technology needs good teachers.”

Thanks for the post!

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:31 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by deerwood: Published a new post: Good Teachers Don’t Need Technology http://ping.fm/0zPOL...

By: Terry Freedman

Terry Freedman — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:38:15 +0000

Agreed. You can’t get away from tech anyway. Even slates and blackboards are examples of technology!