Reflection
This chapter really comes down to the simple idea that technology should improve the teacher and learner's experience. My wife has taught pre-school for nearly 30 years. A few years ago the school she taught at bought Smartboards for all the classrooms. (OK it was a franchise requirement), but she was teaching three-year-olds, and it had no real application in her classroom. She did use the smart board as a message board for the parents. They would tap the icon and see a photo of what the children did during the day, get supply status and sign "bobo" reports. All of these things were previously done by paper, except the photos, which was available when a parent signed in or out of the school.
When we teach on line, we need to keep in mind that each choice we make has a cost and a benefit. It may make sense to use the most modern technology if it is relevant to the skill. On the other hand, if you are teaching a builder to make trusses, using an IPAD may not be the most cost-effective method to teach framing.
