Philosophy of Technology in the Classroom

Tori Kilgore

As a teacher, I believe that it is important to be a lifelong learner and continue to

modify approaches to find the best ways to relate content to our students. Our world
today is constantly being influenced by technology, and I believe it is crucial to use that
technology to scaffold and improve educational strategies. As a teacher, I plan to not
only learn from the experience of current professionals, but also keep up on new
innovations and incorporate them into my classroom as much as I can.
Technology in the classroom is not only necessary to engage students, but it is an
essential tool for the future. Every day our lives become more deeply engrained in
technology, and I believe we need technology in the classroom today in order to have
prepared citizens for tomorrow. As educators, we need to make a conscious effort to
prepare students to not just survive, but flourish in the world that we live in today. Media
and technology tools can help give students the push they need to be creative,
collaborative, and adaptive learners, both now and in the future.
There exists a wide-range of technology tools that can help facilitate instructional
methods and student learning goals. However, I have learned to be critical of technology
in the classroom. I believe that a thoughtful exploration of technology tools and
resources must be completed before a technology tool should be implemented into a
classroom. As a teacher, I will choose tools that are effective, engaging, and efficient in
helping me teach my students in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them.
Before bringing a new tool into the classroom, I will consider whether the tool in
some ways helps improve the lesson. A technology tool can enhance a lesson by making
it more interesting and increase student engagement. A technology tool can also make a
lesson more efficient by decreasing the time spent on a task, which allows for time for
more learning to take place. A technology tool can increase effectiveness in the

classroom by improving student learning outcomes. If a technology tool does not do one
or more of these things, then I believe it is most likely not worthy of being used in the
classroom.
I also believe it is very important for digital learners to know how to use technology
appropriately and responsibly. My students will learn the importance of netiquette and
will be conscious of their digital footprint. Students need to learn the importance of
balancing technology with other aspects of life. With the best practices for technology
use in place, my hope as a teacher is that technology will allow my students to use tools
each day in creative ways that will enhance their learning.
Lastly, I believe that technology should not take the place of an effective teacher. I
believe that human interactions and communication are essential to the learning
environment as well. Additionally, I believe that technology can and should be used to
make life easier by improving workflow and minimizing time spent on classroom
management activities, such as grading and organization.
Not only can technology improve workflow, it can also expand the walls of a
classroom. Students can use technology tools to communicate with students on another
continent. A virtual field trip is one example of a learning opportunity that can be
accessible to the classroom with technological support.
As a teacher, I will continue to increase my knowledge about technology and
continue to grow as a technology-aware educator to make sure that I am providing my
students with the best experiences as possible. My technology philosophy aligns very
closely with a quote from the great developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, The
principal goal of education is to create men and women who are capable of doing new
things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. From this quote, I
believe as educators we must constantly by rethinking and reevaluating the instructional

approaches, methods, and tools that we use in the classroom in order to successfully
educate students.