Choosing not to integrate technology into your classroom

Is that really an option anymore? At a school with massive support for technology (in every way including professional development) some teachers still choose to sit this conversation out. They feel that it is their choice and that the "tech stuff" will happen in other classrooms.

In 2000 the US Department of Education stated in its National Educational Technology Plan, "Most teachers have been prepared for a model of teaching dramatically out of step with what is needed to prepare the nation's students for the challenges they will face in the future"(p.5) (Solomon et. al). That makes sense, but does it have to be everywhere, in every class, a every turn? Can a school survive, even thrive with a few holdouts? And can the negative feelings of those few about technology be detrimental to school-wide initiatives and other teachers work?

Doing what the computer says vs. telling it what to do

For my online course we have been reading "Toward Digital Equity, Bridging the divide in Education". First of all, the book was published six years ago, and most of the data is from eight or nine years ago, which makes it seem a relic to me, particularly considering the topic.

One topic that has jumped right out at me is the notion that the real digital divide is not about what hardware you have, or how fast your internet connection is (although those things may have a real impact on what I am about to describe). Most "kids these days" can get on a computer but the ones who will leverage that access to their advantage are the ones who can "learn to tell the computer what to do" (Neuman in Conte, 1997). Others will just be passive consumers of the information out there.

When talking about this with my husband he agreed wholeheartedly and couldn't believe I hadn't thought about it before "You do a million things on the internet and are always learning and communicating and expanding your thinking. I check the surf and my email."