It seems like as I was going through school, technology has become more and more integrated in to education. It's all about the newest and greatest way to teach using technology. It is very easy to get caught up in the "tech madness." It is very easy for teachers to let the technology do the teaching and to take a back seat. I am definitely not advocating that. However, teachers shouldn't be afraid to try new technology, which is what I see sometimes in school.
I do believe that technology can be an incredible asset to the classroom. I think that the technology can help students in ways that textbooks can't. All of that being said, technology does not replace good teaching. I have written about Google Read and Write before on this blog, and it has completely changed how my students write. In social studies, I am able to take my classes on "field trips" to Italy, China, France, etc. They are much more interested in the ancient sites when they can "visit" them. Should technology be used in place of quality teaching? Definitely not. Should teachers begin to feel more comfortable using the different technology available to them. Definitely.
When technology is first implemented in a school or classroom, it is likely that there will not be as much achievement as liked. However, I do believe, that when a teacher is properly trained and comfortable with the technology the achievement part will follow.
The other thing to take in to consideration is the bigger picture. Technology often makes some classroom tasks easier. For instance, using Google Docs, I can provide feedback during class, which is extremely beneficial to my reluctant writers, or the ones that tend to stray off topic. The students also begin to get a feel of the type of comments they should be leaving during the peer editing process. The other thing that it allows is for students to collaborate on documents. Students are able to help each other on projects, even if they aren't able to to meet outside of school.
In my mind, the pros often out weigh the cons when it comes to using technology in the classroom.
