Technology as Only Tools

"A good carpenter never blames his tools."

This is a quote that actually comes from a comic book character, but I believe it has relevance when discussing technology in education. A local school district recently reported giving its 6th grade students iPads, and then seeing gains in benchmark test scores and a reduction in the number of suspensions. However, as usual, the news story failed to go into more detail what the students and teachers are doing with the iPads, and how it is influencing their behavior. We need to remember that whatever we use in the classroom is just a tool. We as educators need to learn how to use those tools for the best educational benefits of our students. It is not simply a matter of handing technology to teachers and students, but showing them how can they effectively use that technology for educational purposes. I do not currently own an iPad, but am curious to see how it can effectively be used in the classroom.

On a related note, there is a local Japanese Art Museum in Hanford that has exhibited some incredible works from artists in Japan. Some pieces have been recent works, while others were at least 500 years old. The ones that have fascinated me the most include bamboo baskets and sculptures and extravagantly embroidered silk kimonos. Nowadays, there are computerized sewing machines that can automatically embroider anything for you. It is incredible to think how people could have created these elaborate kimonos by hand, the skill level and mastery it took and the time the artisan dedicated to the piece. For the bamboo baskets, I had the honor of watching a bamboo artist from Japan demonstrate his technique. He did not have many elaborate tools. He literally sat on the floor with a sharp knife and started working with and shaving the bamboo, sometimes until it was as thin as thread. Very simple, yet his work was very intricate. Technology was not a limitation to these artists; they were only limited by their knowledge, skills and imagination. Getting back to the original quote, if schools implement the use of a new technology in their classroom, and then do not see adequate progress on their academic goals, then the last place they should look is the limitations of the technology. My own version of the quote is a series of questions I pose to people, "How good is a saw? How good is a hammer? It depends entirely on the carpenter using it."