Tech or not to Tech

While at a Teach Meet last week, a brave teacher rightly stood up and braved the immortal phrase -

'iPads, do you really need them, I think they're rubbish, unless used correctly'

WOW, I thought that's a brave guy, to push back the Apple card. I often attend Teach Meet with out technology, often preferring to take some trusty objects form the museums collection. I think that tech' is great, I use it in most sessions, though discreetly. There solely as something to add to the learning that is already taking place. Working in a museum with the wealth of objects that are at my figure tips it would almost be criminal not to. This is a very big change from my life in a City Learning Centre, where everything was ICT/ Media/ computer graphics, now however I really have started to see the benefit of actual getting to grips with something.  

Recently this view was presented to me, a group was looking at buying a 3D printer. Now I must admit it is very difficult for me to think, 'NO' to something as fun as that. However when I started to dig deeper and push at the reasons why a 3D printer was the answer to their need, our ideas started to become separated, I was looking at enhancing sessions, helping people understand more about the museum and its objects. Where as there were thoughts about it creating jewellery or art with the printer and trying to find ways that it could fit into the new themes they had.

Now going back to Teach Meet, tech for the sake of it, isn't worth it. That is when the products drive the ideas, instead of the ideas driving the need for the products that support good leaning, in what ever form that might be, weather that is in a classroom or in a workshop or as part of a community project. There is always learning present and that should always be the driving factor in taking you to what you need to get in order to help you and your learners get the most from it.