What is the role of technology in education?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?_r=1&ref=education&pagewanted=all

This recent article from the New York Times continues the conversation about the role that technology should play in education.  As a teacher in a school that is beginning to use iPads in the classroom, I have been a part of much give and take about what the "best practice" of using technology in the classroom.

A couple of thoughts that have stayed with me:

1. The "pencil test."  Does the technology simply replicate what you could do with a pencil and a piece of paper?  If so, then perhaps money and time could be better spent on different tools.

2. Focus on learning, not on technology.  This may seem obvious, but can get quickly lost in two ways.  One would be when a teacher uses technology that is exciting or flashy, but doesn't improve student understanding of the material.  The second one, which is perhaps even more powerful, is a teacher's resistance to using technology in the classroom.  While no one likes change to be forced on them, if a (possibly reluctant) teacher looks to the opportunities that technology can provide, rather than focusing on the concern about learning something new (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot!), technology can be experimented with and implemented in a thoughtful way that augments learning in the classroom, rather than replacing a different or parallel system.

The article also points out the (wise) concern of many in education: can technology do the job of a teacher?  If the teacher's job is to state facts and explain processes, then yes.  And that teacher should be concerned.  If the teacher's job is to connect with students, help make the material meaningful to them and their lives, discover how to help the student build on strengths and remediate weaknesses, and instill a lifelong love of learning, then sleep well, for there is no way that technology can do all of that.

I heard a great quote today: "In times of change, learners inherit the earth...while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" (Eric Hoffer).  OK, it's a little zingy, and the kind of quote that could be used in a meanspirited way, but there's a large kernel of truth inside these words.  There are many, many facets to being an educator, and one hopefully takes an active role in deciding what aspects of one's own teaching to develop.  One of those aspects is recognizing the opportunities that social and scientific progress offer, and how to take advantage of those opportunities to become a more effective and efficient teacher.  Technology offers opportunity, and we shouldn't be afraid of the chance to improve our teaching, make the lives of our students richer and more rewarding, and therefore make our successes in the classroom more personally rewarding throughout our careers.

More thoughts, anyone?