Believe me, I understand how technology has made things better. I live on email and love my Kindle, and it’s hard not to check my iPhone during dinner. My school has more than 300 computers and 22 Smart Boards. But technology remains just a tool.
Even the latest laptop can’t compete with a wonderful teacher.
A computer can’t smile—and no, : ) doesn’t cut it. A computer doesn’t know when Laura should be applauded, or when she needs to be pushed. A computer can’t really listen—not just hear the words, but be sensitive to tone, inflection, and facial expressions. No matter how much time a student spends online, a computer can’t provide the same emotional support as a human being.
Computers are great for helping students find information, but they’re not so great at helping students know what information is relevant or true. Computers are great for facilitating the ability to write—and thank goodness for spell check. But computers aren’t so great at helping students learn to work with others.
Learning is more than acquiring skills and understanding. It’s about learning how to learn. While students can spend hours on the computer, what they learn there generally doesn’t translate to understanding themselves and working with others. And if there’s one thing that is clear, it is that success in a smaller and flatter world will require self-knowledge and the ability to collaborate.
We should use technology to give us access to new information and connect in different ways—and we do—but we cannot forget that technology is simply a tool. When used well, it broadens and enhances our outlook, but it can also be educational cotton candy: sweet, but with no real substance.
Educators need to use computers where they are helpful, but remember that learning consists of far more than keystrokes.
Technology is wonderful—except when it isn’t.
Tom Hoerr is head of New City School in the Central West End.
