Technology in Education

In today's educational circles, there is such a push for incorporating technology, social media, and cool new gadgets. While I am all for this, it raises two questions in my mind:
1. What do you do when the technology is not readily available?
2. Are we using technology in the best interest of the students?

1. What do you do when the technology is not readily available?
I know that in my district, computers are at a premium and are not always readily available. Fortunately, we have some other alternatives to use and incorporate such as iPods and iPads. We've even incorporated some Chromebooks in a few classrooms.
We are some of the lucky ones -- although we are not 1-to-1, we still have a good amount of tech available -- unless it's testing week, but that is a different story.
What about the districts that do not have technology available? Those that have 1 computer cart for an entire grade level, or students that do not have internet access outside of school? What do you do then?
Well, A couple things. I just found out that students who qualify for free or reduced lunch have an at-home internet option for $10/month. Wow. That is a step in the right direction in making the internet readily available to all populations!

Second, there are ways to get students learning socially without technology -- and in reality, isn't that what we are using technology for anyway? Finding ways to get students engaged in conversation in ways and groupings that they may not normally accomplish in a traditional classroom.
There are several sites available (on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Google, etc) that showcase how to incorporate social learning in a technology-poor classroom/environment. Although I haven't had a chance to peruse all of the different pins on this board, I am going to link to a colleague's Pinterest Board about Social Media in the classroom. This has options for not only using social media, but also alternatives to those who may not have access to it for some reasons.

2. Are we using technology in the best interest of the students?
Okay, so I know that I've been guilty of having students complete an assignment online only because it is online. We could accomplish the same task on paper, but in wanting to "engage the students" we slap it on a google doc or a blog post and have students go through the process of logging on and responding when it would just be simpler, quicker, and accomplish similar goals by just doing it on paper.
When using technology in the classroom, it is important to not only engage the students, but to extend their learning beyond the classroom -- to use the resources that come with technology -- network, explore, create in ways that are unique to the students in the classroom. 
I am being challenged in my own teaching to extend my technology use from just reminding students of assignments on twitter, to starting chats or using # conversations as formative assesments for reading or concepts. 
Pull in students or professionals from around the world to talk to classrooms on twitter or google talk to expand students' horizons and PLNs. Get students talking outside of the classroom -- applying what they are learning to their "real lives." 


I am challenging myself to go a little further with social media/technology this year. Each day is a new opportunity to try something new, to engage a student on a new level and incorporate technology for actual learning and not just for simply "doing it online."