Doug Woods on “Good Teachers Don’t Need Technology”

Doug Woods (ICT in Schools) has blogged about why he thinks that it’s inappropriate the say that “good teachers don’t need technology” and he goes into some details here: http://doug-woods.blogspot.com/2010/06/good-teachers-dont-need-technology.html

I’ve tried to post a comment on his blog, but so far it didn’t appear there, so I’d like to use my blog to publish my reaction to his article. Because I really think that he misses an important point when trying to refute this “silly position” about teachers and their need for technology.

I agree with you, totally! But I think you missed one important point… Teachers have always been using technological tools for teaching (also in the sense of supporting the learning process of their students). Books are technology, blackboards are technology, chalk is technology… These tools just don’t look like technology to us, maybe because they pre-existed us and we never thought of as technology… Still they have been tools to support learning and teaching ever since school-based learning was “invented”. Each historical period had its tools for teaching. You would probably agree that we all feel that “new”, digital, computer technologies are somewhat RADICALLY transforming the way we access knowledge, compared to any previous technological invention… Nevertheless I do think that the invention of book printing must have had a similarly redefining effect on teaching/learning, because back then, printed books meant that you could have access to a body of knowledge WITHOUT the physical presence of your “master”…

Teachers have always relied on technology to teach, on technology that was available and appropriate at that time.

About me

I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Luxembourg in the field of learning and teaching sciences. My PhD thesis was in cognitive psychology, focusing on implicit learning processes. I have always been interested in the integration of ICT in education, especially the strategic use of technology in teaching. With the advent of the digital revolution, I became interested in exploring the socio-cultural changes in learning caused by the use of digital technologies.

My current research focuses on the subjective theories of learning held by teachers and how these influence their use of ICT in the classroom. I am particularly interested in identifying factors that enable or hinder the use of ICT in teaching, and how these factors can be addressed.

Throughout my career, I have worked extensively as a teacher trainer in the field of educational technologies. I have experience with various forms of active pedagogy approaches, including problem-based, project-based, and design-research approaches. My goal is to help teachers integrate technology into their teaching practice in a way that enhances student learning and engagement.