Isn't all technology educational?

I've been thinking about Tim Stahmer's thoughtful post "Do We Really Need 'Educational' Technology" over at Assorted Stuff. Tim asks:

Does the artificial classification of hardware, software, web applications and the rest as “instructional” (with the inevitable conclusion that rest of the stuff is not) just get in the way of the basic idea that almost any technology could be used for learning?

When anyone asks what our school's tech department is responsible for, I usually respond, "If it beeps, buzzed, or takes batteries, we're responsible for it." And at some level, that's actually pretty accurate. Our department supports everything from entry door card readers to online textbook supplemental materials to student laptop carts to the district's finance and HR systems. And since this stuff is all part of the school environment, couldn't it all be classified as "educational"?

This year's three "big" projects in my district could all be considered "educational," but in somewhat different ways.

• Big IWB project (educational in the sense that it is a tool directly used for instruction)
• Switch to GoogleApps for staff (educational in the sense that staff use the product to create materials, communicate with parents, students and other staff, and plan their own professional activities)
• Select and install a telephone system (educational in the sense that the business infrastructure that helps run the organization is mission critical to educating kids)

I prefer the term "instructional" technology if, like a computerized reading program or specially designed device is really only used for teaching and learning. Yes, cell phones, word processors and even computers themselves can be labeled "educational software." But that's a bit like calling fire a communication technology because it can be used to send smoke signals.

Regardless of what we call it, I agree with Tim that all technology can be educational, even, as Will Rogers observes, electric fences.

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On a tangentially related note, I've been reflecting on how ironic it is that the more directly tied to curriculum and instruction, the more difficult "educational technology" is to implement. A new student information system, network architecture or even e-mail system, while complex, is a walk in the park compared to introducing new software, hardware and methodology into the classroom on a systemic basis.

Here are a couple areas I think our district really needs to move on, but with which I seem to get no traction for a district-wide plan:

• Individual computing devices for student use - netbooks, laptops, iPads/iPods, etc. I am in awe of Scott Newcomb's Mobile Learning project website and the great work Eden Prairie (MN) is doing in this area. (If I can find info online, I will link to it.)
• Online classes and district-wide approach to creating hybrid learning environments. How do we help teachers see opportunity instead of threats here?

My observation is that successful instructional uses of technology adoptions start with dedicated classroom teachers, departments or even buildings - NOT with technology departments.

But that doesn't mean tech folks (or anybody) should stop sharing exciting technologies, applications and methods. You never know when a spark might catch fire!

Putting the "I" in IWB

I did a follow-up survey (previous posts here and here) of my district IWB (Smartboard) users asking the question I forgot to ask the first go-round:

Here are the results:

A lot of comments (mostly about how the respondent has not had enough time to master this tool), but a few like this as well:

1st grade---I have students circle or underline items, like words with a particular spelling pattern. I have also covered information with the "special pen" and kids erase to reveal it.  Kids use the highlighter as a "magic finger" and highlight vocabulary words or other important information. Sometimes, they drag or click on answers to review questions. They drag to sort words with spelling patterns, or in science they sort animal pictures or clothes to wear for each season. We have created a Jeopardy style review game for each reading unit and kids tap the amount an category they want to get to the linked question. Students touch a link to online resources.  We have viewed several educational videos--not interactive, but better quality than the VHS we have!

Are we revolutionizing education with this technology adoption? Probably not.

But are we improving the learning experience for a lot of kids. I think so.

For what it's worth.

Do the math

I love working with numbers but I flunked Algebra II and never attempted Calculus. I enjoyed Geometry and Statistics since they made sense to me but I fume that our state is requiring that all our students take ever more math classes and tests for graduation. I consider myself more numerate than the average mean bear but always use a spreadsheet when working out problems involving any calculations.

T-shirt source

I'm guessing there are a lot of people like me who may have a love-hate relationship with math. So I was delighted to discover Dan Meyer's views about changing math instruction. His 12 minute talk at TEDxNYED made tremendous sense to me (since his approach to math instruction is the same as my approach to any research or problem-solving - it has to be genuine.)  Even if you aren't a math teacher, Mr. Meyers will give you more than one standard deviation from the norm of things to think about.

Oh, English teachers - what if we substituted Daniel Pink, Malcom Gladwell and other contemporary authors for a semester of Shakespeare, Wordsworth or Whitman? And gave kids more chances to write in the narrative voice with less emphasis on exposition? I bet we'd reach a whole batch of kids for whom "English" is a class to only be tolerated.

Just as an aside, I had this comment left about my post on Everyday Problem-solving:

Educators at higher levels complain that students have no concept of developing "sustained" research.

You know, I've never felt the primary purpose of school is to prepare students for the next level of schooling.