Why Teachers Fail When It Comes To Technology

Why Teachers Fail When It Comes To Technology

By Gabriel Carey

Throughout the previous school year, I made it a point to point out flaws when it comes to my teachers. Maybe it's because I'm sixteen and becoming rebellious, maybe it's because I've critically analyzed every video game, tv show, song, and even commercial I've seen in the past year, or maybe it's relevant to the fact that there are so many teachers whose flaws outweigh their benefits. Now, before I continue, let me tell you that I've had a few good teachers in the past. A few. Do taxpayers really want their money to go towards a few good teachers, but an overwhelming number of people who are just plain awful at what they do? It doesn't matter who you are, what your political stanpoint is, or even what you ate for breakfast this morning, (yeah, I went there) if you are satisfied with your tax dollars going towards the salary of a teacher who can't teach, then you're one of them. While I won't be able to discuss every detail of why so many teachers can't do their jobs right, (because I don't know) I'll just highlight some points as to why they fail when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom. 

Students Can't Aren't Allowed To Use Their Resources

Sure, every kid who's still in school complains about not being allowed to use their cell phones, and while I disagree with the typical reasons students give for this outrage, I do think students in school should be allowed to use their cell phones in school for educational reasons. Android-based smartphones have one of the greatest applications of all time built-in to their OS, usable the second you turn the devices on. QuickOffice is a great alternative to Windows' Microsoft Office. (QuickOffice is built-in to Android tablets as well, which don't require a monthly data plan.)

Teachers Don't Understand Technology

Here's a hilarious topic. When I was in 9th grade, I signed up for a photography class where the students learned how to create photographic composition, edit photos, and create professional-looking photographs using Adobe PhotoShop CS5. The only problem was.... I had to teach the teacher how to use PhotoShop. You would think they would train teachers to use advanced programs when they are required to teach them. Now this, truly, is an outrage. I can't imagine what the class would have done if I was not there to teach PhotoShop. None of the other students had a clue how to use the program, and the following year, the art teacher was forced to stop teaching the class due to lack of resources. I don't blame the teachers for their lack of technology understanding, but I do often wonder: what do these teachers learn when they're absent from school for "training"?

The Conclusion: YOU SAVE MONEY!!!

Board of Education systems don't realize it (what else is new?) but by switching over to new technology such as tablets, smartphones, and/or Ultrabooks, parents will actually save money! Most kids already own smartphones, and those who don't can get an efficient tablet for as low as $199.00 (Google Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, etc.) That's only about $100 more than a graphing calculator, which can only do one thing! With a tablet or smartphone, you can get a free graphing calculator app, download cheaper-than-paper eBooks and even use the QuickOffice tool I mentioned earlier for free! Now that you don't have to buy Microsoft Office for $130, you can buy yourself a bluetooth keyboard which can be found for as low as $20 on Amazon.com. I know this sounds like an ad for tablets, but it's only the truth about technology. A total of about $220 doesn't sound that much cheaper than the $230 you would otherwise spend on a graphing calculator and Microsoft Office, but that $220 will be a lot more useful to students than a graphing calculator and a document-processing application will be in the long-run. I challenge every parent and every student to write a letter to their Board of Education, reinforcing what I've just explained in this article.