I've never seen a kid sit at home with their phone and say to themselves "I need to spend some time with technology". In fact, the thought of this happening is simply funny! Why? That is because you know that the kid is thinking about the work, not the technology. The technology is “invisible” as it makes the work easier, faster, more engaging. However, I have seen many teachers say that they need to spend time with technology in their classrooms. They say this with a sigh as they know that they don’t have time to do “another thing.”
Have you ever heard a teacher say that they don’t have time to include technology in their classroom? I believe this comment is a symptom of an ineffective mindset towards technology. If the teacher has this mindset, it does not matter how much money or effort you spend on 1:1. Under this mindset, your effort will never be as good as it could have been. There is no app for good teaching. I believe that technology can only enhance what is already there. In other words, you can use an iPad as a worksheet and not get very good results. Therefore, the teacher must already have good practice in order to use technology in a meaningful way in the classroom. Assuming that meaningful work already exists in the classroom, the first step towards effective 1:1 is teaching the teachers that using technology is not "another thing". In fact, it should be the same thing that they are already doing. Technology on it's own is not very effective. However, when technology becomes "invisible" and the student work is meaningful, student achievement skyrockets! You see, the focus is never the device or technology. The focus is the work. Technology makes things faster, smarter, more efficient. Once the teachers understand that using technology in the classroom is similar to how they use technology in their private lives, you are poised for incredible things.
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