For over the last decade-plus, my roles in schools have revolved largely around using technology for teaching and learning. I have spent 8 years as a Technology Integration Specialist, 1 year as a Director of Technology, obtained my first Masters in Curriculum and Instructional Technology, am a member of the ITEC Board (including being a past president), and have taught courses at Iowa State University for future teachers around the use of technology in teaching and learning.

I felt like I had been trying to convince others about why they should use technology even before I started these roles. I have never pushed technology for technology’s sake but there has always been a pedagogical reason for why I feel that technology should be used in teaching and learning. It does not have to be used all the time but the possibilities that technology can provide for a learner is something that should not be ignored. There are so many things that we can do for students today using technology that were not possible in the past.

A big problem happened when COVID forced so many teachers into using technology all the time including both those who had previously used it well and those who had avoided using technology in their classroom. Those who had avoided using it now found themselves in such an unfamiliar environment, which really was unfamiliar for everyone, that when we came out of COVID teaching, there was a greater push from many to move away from any technology use. The uncomfortable experiences that many had during COVID teaching overshadowed any positives that could have been seen from using technology in teaching and learning. Not to mention that there was not enough time to plan good pedagogical use of technology but instead bad and low-impact uses of technology were evident in so many places.

Technology is a tool just like any other tool that is used in teaching and learning. It should be understood how it can impact learning, both positively and negatively. Unfortunately, technology gets blamed for many things that have nothing to do with the technology but has to do with other factors. A bad lesson is bad whether it uses technology or not. A lesson that is not engaging will not lead to great learning, whether that lesson uses technology or not. A student may misbehave when using technology but that same student would probably misbehave without the technology. Yes, students may use technology to cheat, which is much easier when using technology than it was in the past, but if we get so focused and scared that a student might cheat, we might miss the fact that a student might also learn. We can’t be so scared of cheating that we remove opportunities for learning.

I have seen a big push to be very critical of the role of technology in classrooms but I do not see that same push to be critical of every other tool we use in teaching. I think we should be critical of everything: textbooks, multiple choice quizzes, lectures, worksheets, forcing everyone to do the same thing at the same time, the 7 or 8 period day, homework; all of those things that are just expected to be part of the common practices but no one is forced to show they are effective for learning. Instead of just talking about how we can best use technology, there is an immediate desire to prove that this will improve learning before we even try using it. If you want to be critical about technology use, then you need to be critical about everything else we are doing in the classroom otherwise you are just trying to blame the technology when there are other variables that are more likely the true issue for low student learning.

Good use of technology in teaching and learning does not mean that students are hiding behind a screen all the time. Students should be interacting with teachers and each other face to face. The technology can be used when they are researching, creating, collaborating, and then communicating with the teacher or each other. We can use the technology to assist and amplify the learning that is happening face-to-face, not replace the face-to-face. If you all you are doing is putting your students behind a screen and thinking you are using technology well, you are wrong. You need to ensure that the use of technology is improving the learning, just as you would any other tool in the classroom.

A tricky thing is that we can’t expect students to know how to best use the technology unless we teach and model effective technology use. That means that if the teacher does not know how to effectively use technology, there is very little chance that this will happen in the classroom effectively because they can’t model it and most likely can’t teach it. The idea that students are “digital natives” and will figure it out is not correct. Students may be more comfortable using technology than many of their teachers but that does not mean they know how to use it well. They need to be taught how to effectively research online, how to discern between credible and non-credible sources, how to curate resources instead of just collecting every digital thing, how to keep track of their assignments and tasks in a way that best fits them as a learner. There are many things we need to teach students about how to use technology effectively as a learner and teachers should learn these as well if they hope to help their students.

When I see a student struggling to read a printed article because they have a vision impairment or a form of dyslexia, those barriers can be lessened by using digitally accessible text with a screen reader or a tool that modifies the font and other factors to improve the readability. A student who may have difficulty with the English language can use digital translators or tools that simplify the text so it is more easily understood. A student who has a hearing impairment can have spoken text transcribed. A student who has issues typing or writing can use a voice typing tool to get their ideas out so they can be shared with others. We can offer students more options for paths to show their learning by using digital tools, we can offer varied levels of text complexity using digital tools, we can provide feedback in a more timely manner using digital tools, and students can create more using what they have learned by using digital tools than they could with just paper.

There are also many ways that we can implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) using technology that we could not before. Using UDL and technology effectively, we can overcome learning barriers for many students that are created by traditional lesson design. We can help students find paths to success that were not easily possible before. As someone who grew up with a hearing impairment, it is easier for me to see how technology, when used effectively, can give students more chances to learn and succeed than ever before.

If I had to give one reason why any educator should take the time to learn how to use technology effectively for teaching and learning, it is that it can give a student the chance to learn in a way that was not possible before. We can create better opportunities for student learning than ever before but we must take the time and energy to learn how to use technology well and to see these new possibilities. Good teaching is good teaching, but good teaching paired with effective technology use can be life-changing.