The guest speaker’s presentations from last Wednesday’s class have made me reflect on my teaching perceptions and attitudes towards technology.  Kathy Cassidy was one of the presenters, a classroom teacher who has been a strong leader in effectively incorporating technology into her classroom. It is fascinating to see the innovative and creative activities she uses with her grade 1 students, as they use a variety of technological tools to enhance their learning.

As a teacher aspiring to seek new and innovative ways to engage student learning, I have learned a lot from Kathy Cassidy’s work.  Although she is renowned for her implementation of technology, it is vital to remember that students at a young age still need hands on learning experiences and activities that do not involve technology. This is a point she strongly emphasized. In trying to create a classroom where students become technology literate, it is important to remember that using technology for activities is not always the most effective method of teaching.  Especially at younger ages, students still need to write using pencils and paper, need social interaction, various hands-on activities, and like all other classrooms-daily routines.  I want to teach in a classroom and have students become ‘technologically savvy’, but this does not mean that all or even the majority of activities should incorporate technology. This is the central point I have been reflecting on, as it is so easy to perceive technology as the focal point of learning when teachers strive to incorporate it, even though the learning should be the focal point, with technology as a learning tool.