I am very careful with the term disruption, mostly because it tends to be overused in describing some (or even many) technologies, especially how they relate to classrooms. However, there are some technologies that so fundamentally change the conversation that one can’t help but take note of the extraordinary influence the technology is having on the environment.
A recent “encore” edition of the Note to Self podcast (a favorite of the Tech-Savvy Teachers) highlights one such case: the impact of technology on children who are blind or visually impaired. The rise of the smartphone and tablet has dramatically altered the time-honored practice of learning braille and put schools in a quandary comparing the costs expensive, bulky braille books and machines that convert digital text to braille to relatively inexpensive smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
However, with any fast and furious change, there are questions about what is the right thing to do for kids, not unlike the decisions we all face daily regarding technology in the classroom. Give it a listen!
What do you think? What technologies are forcing you and your students to make choices, big or small? Hit is up in the comments section below, or, find NCCE on Twitter!