It's a Technological World, Are Your Teachers Up to Par? by Ken Myers - Page 3 of 3

It’s a Technological World, Are Your Teachers Up to Par? by Ken Myers

As many districts are debating moving to Bring-Your-Own-Device or 1:1 programs, educators will need to be more versed in various hardware and software. There will be certain aspects of one tablet that are not shared on a smartphone – and vice versa. If a teacher is unable to help a student with a problem with compatibility, then the whole thought behind BYOD becomes moot. The IT department of the school or district may be too busy to change settings on every single device – especially when it’s a problem that could have been fixed by the teacher or another student. You would be amazed at how often a teacher’s lack of technical skill has wasted time for the IT department of various districts. The simple matter of plugging a power cord back into a monitor shouldn’t be a cause to submit a trouble ticket if the monitor won’t turn on.

Teachers need to be as fluent with the technology in their room as they are with books and other materials. The benefits are simply too great to just ignore that we live in a technological world. The days of dusting chalkboard erasers are over, and the educators need to do everything in their power to make sure the children can survive such a competitive world. Without the knowledge of how to use some of the simple devices we have today efficiently, the children could find themselves at a loss in employment and opportunities for growth and advancement.