Relationship Status: It's complicated

"It's not you, it's me. I need some time for myself right now in my life."

No matter how you say it, the relationship we have with technology is filled with ups and downs. If we were "Facebook official," I'd be changing the status of my relationship with it at least once a week to "It's Complicated". Sometimes I just want to break up with it and be done with it when it's just not working.

Having just finished teaching a course in the use of Web 2.0 Tools, I realize now more than ever the frustrations experienced for teachers using technology. In trying to use technology more in the classroom with students, I've experienced even more frustrations with it. Let's face it, technology is needy and requires constant attention and sucks up all your time. And let's face it, sometimes you don't get anything out of it after spending hours upon hours using it. Different technologies should come with warnings-- "may eat up your entire evening" or "probably won't work correctly when you go to use it in front of 24 students"... it'd just be nice to know the warnings before continuing your somewhat disfunctional relationship.

Sometimes more technology is just that-- it's more. It doesn't make your lesson better. It won't magically make someone a better teacher. It won't teach the students better or faster. Sometimes it's more of a hinderance to the lesson. So what can we do as educators? Have a backup. Because no matter how much you've tested it out before the lesson, sometimes it just won't work. Before taking the badly behaved piece of technology and chucking it thru the window, take a deep breath, relax, and reboot. Try using it again or if it's just not going to work, try using a different program or website to get the same results.

And if that doesn't work- try pen and paper and a whiteboard and markers. Maybe you'll be able to reconcile with Technology the next day.

-Some of my thoughts after reading the following article: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2011/11/the_relationship_status_of_teachers_and_educational_technology_its_complicated.html