One of the biggest arguments I hear, from advocates against the use of technology in the classroom is: Students are already over exposed to technology, and so we need to teach them other ways of engaging with material
Are kids today really that overexposed to technology? I would probably have to agree. I definitely see a lot of downsides to certain interactions and overuses of technology (one of my biggest pet peeves is when you are engaged in a 'real life' conversation with someone and they take out their phone and procede to text someone else while chatting with you!) ...
BUT.
I think we are doing a disservice if we do not provide opportunities for students to learn how to interact with technology in creative and constructive ways.
As teachers we are already well aware that if you can capture the magic that is your student's interests, you stand a much better chance of engaging them and teaching them something that's going to stick.
Technology is an easy one to make work for us in the classroom, because it has already won over the interests of most of our students. The best way to compete with this force, is to work with it!
When we teach with technology we are showing students that their devices can make a difference to their lives and their learning. We are reminding them to look for teachable moments in their everyday interactions, and exposing them to opportunities to show us that they can make connections between something they enjoy, and something they can teach themselves through that enjoyment.
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