Is it a technical problem?

Gavriel Salomon’s article about the educational rationale of technology stood out to me because he discusses an often-repeated mistake:  we see a new tool, platform, device or a system and we start believing it will solve problems that may be much deeper than the tool itself.  This isn’t just an education issue because I’ve seen the same thing happen in business.  

Salomon’s argument is not that technology is bad.  A problem occurs if we place too much value simply on the tool’s ability to efficiently deliver information.  When a learner completes a module or an employee passes a quiz, we can assume they’ve received the information, but have they learned anything?  Technology gives us access to information faster than ever.  But access is not the same thing as understanding.  I can provide an employee with a digital copy of the employee manual and have them acknowledge receipt, but that doesn’t mean they know how to handle a real conflict with a guest or coworker.  They may know what the policy says, but they still need judgment, context, coaching, and practice.  That is the difference between having information and building knowledge.

Strong operations start with purpose:  What outcome are we trying to create?  What behavior needs to change?  What kind of thinking are we trying to develop?  Only after those questions are answered does the tool become useful.

For me, the practical takeaway is simple: technology should not drive the learning strategy.  The learning strategy should drive the use of technology.  Otherwise, we are just doing the same old things with newer equipment. 


Reference

Salomon, G. (2016). It’s not just the tool but the educational rationale that counts. In E. Elstad (Ed.), Educational technology and polycontextual bridging (pp. 149–161). SensePublishers.


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