Technophobic educators

In our highly developed modern society, computers and sophisticated mobiles have become indispensable tools for most of us in our everyday lives.    On-line payment including credit and debit cards has led us to a convenient life without using real money.   An advanced e-checking of flights prevents us from being in longer queues as the previous days.    Above all, using e-tickets is environmentally friendly without consuming unnecessary papers.   In particular, smart phones and mobiles have been remarkably developed and gained their power on our ordinary lives year by year.  Due to such rapid technological advances during the past half-century, our society has achieved a great improvement and a prompt change and it has affected our social lives with limitations such as a threat of violating personal data or internet addiction likewise.

Are we now in techno-hell or techno-heaven?

Let me consider such digital technologies through a pedagogical lens.  As one of the technophobic educators, I still miss the smell of rare books or libraries in the old days and prefer real face-to-face interactions in a classroom to digitally-oriented ones which seems to weaken human relationships.  We notice, however, that there are abundant e-learning resources including materials accessible, which would surely bring more learning outcomes to students with less cost than the hard copies, and lower the barriers between campus-based and distance learning courses.  In addition, it can be available to enact some interactive tasks through using computers, and such electronic-brainstorming will expand learners' cognitive perspectives by the exposure to different information and collaboration works.

So, why don't we, 'digital immigrant teachers', try technologies in a classroom?  Now this might be the time to accept those potential resources as a medium of teaching and learning.

For that, first of all, we should remove our old ideas, be open-minded, and maybe, need more special training in the computer skills.  While teaching, some pitfalls may appear in a classroom, but we will be able to learn new ideas from students as well.  Although pedagogical issues with technologies have just started and still been under discussions, we will understand how we can fit into the situation, and then, find their actual benefits and limitations. 

All technophobic teachers, be ambitious!