There’s an interesting conversation going on among some teacher bloggers about the value and impact of new technologies in the classroom.
The science teacher at Huh, That’s Interesting—backed by comments from music educator Nancy Flanagan—questions whether some teachers aren’t merely “seduced by the flashiness” of instructional technology and worries that overuse of digital tools in the classroom will only increase the disconnection of today’s students’ from the real, visceral world.
On the other hand, Bill Ferriter, an English teacher who’s become a Web 2.0 enthusiast, argues that, on a certain level, such attitudes belie an attachment to “the way things were” and an uncritical resistence “to adapt to the changing interests and needs of our learners.”
We imagine this debate reflects an internal dilemma facing many educators today.