Don't Let the Tool Get in the Way

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There is this really great breakfast place that I take my son to sometimes. I always order the same thing, an omelet nest and an iced tea. Every single time the tea comes with a spoon in it. The spoon is a great tool! It has many uses and is even necessary to complete certain tasks such as eating soup easily. Even though the spoon is a great tool, if I don't get it out of the way it causes problems when I'm trying to drink my iced tea by hitting me in the face. It doesn't matter how great a tool is, if it's getting in the way of what you're trying to do (in this scenario, it's drinking tea) it isn't the right tool for the job. A straw, however, is the perfect tool for this task.

Technology, wether it's Chromebooks, iPads, Laptops or mobile devices, is an amazing tool that has so many uses and in many cases makes life so much easier. Technology has made things possible that were not before. Just because technology is an excellent tool for so many things, it isn't the necessarily the right tool for everything. There are times that there are better tools for the learning tasks at hand, like manipulatives or paper and pencil. Don't use technology just for the sake of using it, make sure it's the right tool for the job. Technology should enhance the learning or make it easier, not hinder it.

It's important to not let the technology get in the way of the learning.

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