Its Not the Technology Its Us!

I have been sitting on this blog post for a while now.  Been looking for the best way to talk about how technology isn't amazing because its an awesome tool, it's because there are awesome teachers.  At today's professional development session I facilitated the teachers helped give me the words that I was looking for.

Teachers working to keep tech integration fresh!

Today I facilitated another two sessions on the SAMR model.  If you are interested in more info on what SAMR is you can watch this super awesome video or read my blog post on the SAMR model.  Each session had awesome conversation around which level of SAMR is related to different tech and tasks.  What we finally drilled it down to is that the technology tool isn't at a certain level, its the expectation of the teacher.  It's not the tech its us!  Many different tech options, from Promethean Boards to apps, can be integrated into the classroom.  The expectations and tasks that the teachers support and set out are what makes the difference between a classroom simply substituting technology with minimal gains, and a classroom blowing it out of the water and being innovative.  Technology is awesome, but its the teacher that makes the real difference for the students.
Later in the afternoon after the professional development sessions were done I met with a science teacher in my district who is trying to integrate iPads into her classroom, check out her blog here.  Writing grants, meeting with me on a regular basis, and research has inspired our district to repurpose Generation 1 iPads to her class.   To many these iPads are junk and belong on a shelf.  To her, its an opportunity to utilize Edmodo to support tasks via Google Drive, Educreations, and research capabilities.  It's not the technology it's us!
No matter what you have in your classroom for technology you, the teacher, are the real tool that is you the teacher!  Be sure to keep yourself fully updated!  Keep reading, learning, trying, testing, and asking.  Reach out to your peers, coaches, PLN, and social networking circles.   Join Twitter and build your circle!  It's not the technology it's us!