While reading through 7 EdTech Assumptions, I was struck by one word: disruption. Naturally, I had my own idea of what this word meant in relationship to the article, although the author, Kim, had a different idea in mind. But it is my own exploration of my philosophy on technology in the classroom, so for this post, my idea wins. 🙂

When I saw the word, I thought of how technology will be a shake-up of our traditional classroom, how it already is a shake-up of our schools. We are grappling at times to take it all in and to find ways to make it work with our students effectively.

Some people believe in shake-ups. They believe in challenging the status quo. They believe that only a rolling stone gathers no moss. I do as well. While we can rest on techniques proven through time to educate students, our students and world are constantly changing, so it is necessary to always reevaluate those techniques to be sure they maintain their function. If so, then good, let’s continue with them. I also believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

But a disruption is violent. I don’t believe we need to experience that revolution all at once. I hope that technology in my classroom will be an evolution, not a disruption. I believe we can move from those tried-and-true techniques to the newer tech-based approaches to teaching and learning along a continuum. We must trust ourselves enough as teachers to make those decisions. It seems at times that we abandon our own professionalism in the face of technology, “Oh, surely, the computers must know better!” But we are the educators in the room, the professionals who design what takes place within the walls. Let’s use our judgement to create classes that shake up the state of affairs in the classroom as necessary, and the integrate technology and its benefits, but let’s not create an explosion that does away with both the good and the bad of yesterday’s educational experience.