The Tech Edvocate

Top Menu

  • Advertisement
  • Apps
  • Home Page
  • Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
  • Home Page Four
  • Home Page Three
  • Home Page Two
  • Home Tech2
  • Icons [No Sidebar]
  • Left Sidbear Page
  • Lynch Educational Consulting
  • My Account
  • My Speaking Page
  • Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
  • Newsletter Unsubscription
  • Our Brands
  • Page Example
  • Privacy Policy
  • Protected Content
  • Register
  • Request a Product Review
  • Shop
  • Shortcodes Examples
  • Signup
  • Start Here
    • Governance
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • The Edvocate
  • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
  • Topics
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Pedagogue
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • P-20 Ed Careers

logo

The Tech Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Pedagogue
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • P-20 Ed Careers
  • Product Review of Proximity Learning

  • Product Review of Spore

  • Product Review of Win the White House

  • Product Review of Beast Academy

  • Product Review of Represent Me!

  • Product Review of Argument Wars

  • Product Review of 3-D Slash

  • Product Review of Haiku Deck

  • Product Review of Team Umizoomi Math: Zoom into Numbers HD

  • Product Review of IWitness

Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechFeaturedFresh
Home›Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech›Sometimes the Best Tech is No Tech

Sometimes the Best Tech is No Tech

By Matthew Lynch
January 16, 2019
4768
0
Spread the love

The story is told that, in the early days of space exploration, NASA spent millions to develop a pen that could write in zero gravity. Until they achieved this impressive feat, they used a simple pencil. That story might or might not be apocryphal, but it illustrates an important point: sometimes the best tech for the job is no tech.

Avoiding the Allure of Free Tech

Most educational stakeholders are old enough to remember the days when every single software program and platform that they used had to be purchased at top dollar. In light of this memory, free apps and websites can seem like an unimaginable resource. And they can be. But they aren’t always. After all, the resource itself might be free, but every resource requires professional development time, instructional time, and an opportunity cost, not to mention time spent choosing, implementing, and evaluating the resource. This means that the price tag is still quite high, even if the resource itself is free.

This price tag—even for free edtech—means that if instructional needs are currently being met, there is no need to change things for that area in the face of the anticipated costs.

The Soft Skills

The movement for 21st-century skills has emphasized the very real need to develop soft skills—such as leadership, flexibility, and collaboration—in students. It isn’t clear that any edtech will actually help students develop these skills. In fact, it seems that the absence of edtech may be a requirement to develop some of them.

The Humanities

Its become popular in the age of a focus on STEM to downplay the liberal arts, but the fact remains that a study of the humanities can not only help students prepare for what employers are really looking for, but it can also help them be well-rounded, civically-minded citizens. While there are some tech tools for the study of the humanities, they often tend to be superficial. Sometimes, the best approach to learning about the humanities is a group discussion, a debate, or a lecture. And no edtech is required.

The Real World

The term “nature deficit” is used to describe the experience of those who do not spend enough time outside, and the benefits of time spent in nature are immense, especially for children. Of course, edtech and nature tend to compete with each other.

Obviously, students need to develop technical skills, and edtech can even help them master non-technical material. But this doesn’t mean that there are not benefits to the tech-free aspects of education.

Previous Article

Edtech Should Complement Good Pedagogy, Not Attempt ...

Next Article

How to Use Tech to Develop Lifelong ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    Education Leaders Role in Improving Digital Learning

    July 20, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    Amplifying Student Voice While Teaching Digital Citizenship

    June 7, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    What is Media Literacy and Why Does it Matter?

    September 25, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Ask An ExpertBest of the Best ListsEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech FuturesHigher Education EdTech

    EdTech Trends on the Horizon in 2018

    November 30, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechHigher Education EdTech

    4 Ways That Digital Equity Can Level the Learning Field

    January 12, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    Why I transformed my sixth grade science class into a coding class, and how you can too

    June 8, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    How Google Can Be a Godsend for Cash-Strapped Districts

  • EdTech & Innovation

    Differing Perspectives On Edtech

  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    How Technological Singularity will Change Schools

Search

Login & Registration

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Product Review of Proximity Learning

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 20, 2022
  • Product Review of Spore

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 20, 2022
  • Product Review of Win the White House

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 20, 2022
  • Product Review of Beast Academy

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 20, 2022
  • Product Review of Represent Me!

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 20, 2022
  • 20 Top Virtual Reality Apps that are Changing Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 11, 2017
  • 7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 4, 2017
  • Why Mobile Technology Enhances Instruction

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 14, 2016
  • 7 Roles for Artificial Intelligence in Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 5, 2018
  • Digital Literacy is the Most Important Lifelong Learning Tool

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 30, 2017
  • 4 Ways EdTech Companies Can Involve Faculty in Research - WGU Labs | Advancing Innovation in ...
    on
    May 17, 2022

    25 Ways that EdTech Benefits Teachers and Students

    […] EdTech products can ...
  • What is a professional learning network? - What Type Degree
    on
    May 16, 2022

    What is a Personal Learning Network?

    […] What is a ...
  • Digital Branding is Key for Everyone In Education | Edtech Magazine
    on
    May 15, 2022

    Tips To Conduct A Gap Analysis For Your LMS Marketing Strategy

    […] How do you ...
  • 7 Ways to Approach Financial Decluttering in Your Life - Amida Wealth
    on
    May 15, 2022

    The Best External Hard Drives Of 2022: All The Best Options For Backing Up Your Device’s ...

    […] and updating your ...
  • Top 18 g suite for education là gì mới nhất năm 2022 - tophoidap
    on
    May 15, 2022

    What is G Suite for Education?

    […] https://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-is-g-suite-for-education/ […]

EdTech Policy & Reform

  • Adaptive LearningCurriculum & InstructionDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital Age TeachersEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformInstructional Technology

    Exploring New Ideas: Student-Driven Remote Learning

    Spread the loveRemote learning is taking its toll on our students. They miss the social side of school. Not seeing their classmates or teachers is leading to nervousness, anxiety, and ...
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & Reform

    Implementing Education Technology by Pursuing Technology Education

    Spread the loveTechnology is used for many great things in our world. It’s a powerful tool when used correctly. As such, this powerful tool can be used to transform learning.  ...
  • EdTech Policy & Reform

    How Much Bias Is Okay in Your School?

    Spread the loveThe algorithm has proven itself to be a handy tool when it comes to solving education problems. It’s also not without bias.  You may be wondering how some ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    Edtech Should Complement Good Pedagogy, Not Attempt to Replace It

    Spread the loveThe newest generation of edtech is downright amazing; it’s no wonder that various education stakeholders might be a little excited about its potential to transform education. However, edtech ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How to Teach Kids to Communicate in This Digital Age

    Spread the loveWhen even the youngest children are spending the equivalent of a full work day looking at screens, it is perhaps no surprise that parents are wondering how to ...

EdTech Startups & Businesses

  • Digital LeadershipEdTech Startups & BusinessesProduct Reviews

    Product Review of Collegix

    Spread the love This is a comprehensive ERP solution for colleges and universities that provides modular, totally integrated learners services, finance, HR, and advancement. Collegix provides online and offline workarounds ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Startups & BusinessesProduct Reviews

    Product Review of Discovery Education

    Spread the love Discovery Education is a big player in EdTech. The company has established itself as the leading provider of digital curriculum resources, digital content, and professional development for ...
  • EdTech Startups & BusinessesProduct Reviews

    Product Review of AptaFund

    Spread the loveAptaFund is a business management software that provides essential functions to educational institutions, such as web access to educators, parents, and learners. It allows elementary schools and other educational ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Understanding the Fundamentals of a Sales Script in Your Customer Interaction Journey

    Spread the loveSales scripts are crucial to any business and can be the main difference in achieving the set targets. A well-written sales script that factors in customers from different ...
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyEdTech Startups & BusinessesTeachers

    Top 5 Things to Consider When Designing an LMS

    Spread the loveCovid-19 has changed many things in our world, and education is one of them. More students lean toward using online schooling. Therefore, learning management systems (LMS) are becoming ...

Digital Equity

  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyDigital EquityDigital Literacy

    Teaching Learners Digital Content Creation Skills

    Spread the loveContent curation is nothing new and has always been a coveted skill. It has been this way for hundreds of years — think of art galleries, museums, or ...
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyDigital EquityEdTech & Innovation

    Promoting Online Access With Hotspots, Laptops, and Planning

    Spread the loveWhen becoming a leader in the field of education, it is important to consider equity. Some students may not have access to devices or the internet from their ...
  • Digital EquityDigital Leadership

    How Can You Assess the Tech Needs of Your Students Outside of School?

    Spread the loveToday, I received an email from the middle school principal in Los Angeles. She explained to me that the school that she ran was in one of the ...
  • Digital Equity

    It Is Time for the Edtech Industry to Stop Denying Its Equity and Race Problem

    Spread the loveThe EdTech industry is dominated by white employees, white leaders, and white entrepreneurs. If you doubt this statement, just attend an Edtech conference. Admittedly, educators and others don’t ...
  • Digital Equity

    How OER Can Help Overcome the Higher Education Equity Barrier

    Spread the loveThe cornerstone of the American dream is the ability to succeed in life regardless of one’s family of origin. And, for most people, that requires a college education. ...

EdTech Futures

  • Adaptive LearningAssistive TechnologyEdTech FuturesInstructional TechnologyTeachers

    Will AI Replace Teachers?

    Spread the loveThrough the years, robots have taken over many jobs. First, they replaced horses and wagons and horses and plows, then they started to replace people. A few examples ...
  • EdTech FuturesHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechUncategorized

    The Future of Higher Education Must Avoid Returning to the Past

    Spread the loveColleges and universities can make higher education safer, smarter, and more accessible through automation and collaboration technologies – if they commit to it. Author: John Hulen, Director of ...
  • EdTech FuturesOnline Learning & eLearning

    IT Trends To Watch As Higher Education Moves Into a New Decade

    Spread the loveEdtech couldn’t have hoped for a better launch into the new decade than the push the industry received from COVID-19. Even the most tech-resistant institutions and individuals have ...
  • EdTech Futures

    4 Emerging EdTech Trends in 2022

    Spread the loveCovid-19 has not only changed education as we know it, but it has forced education technology (EdTech) to up its game. EdTech has been crucial since the start of this ...
  • Adult EducationEdTech & InnovationEdTech FuturesEducation LeadershipEducational LeadershipHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechThe Future of Education

    Education Technology and the Future of Higher Ed Leadership

    Spread the loveEducation Technology (EdTech) has had a more significant impact on education than anyone expected. Now its effects are reaching into the field of higher education. In this article, ...

About Us

Since technology is not going anywhere and does more good than harm, adapting is the best course of action. That is where The Tech Edvocate comes in. We plan to cover the PreK-12 and Higher Education EdTech sectors and provide our readers with the latest news and opinion on the subject. From time to time, I will invite other voices to weigh in on important issues in EdTech. We hope to provide a well-rounded, multi-faceted look at the past, present, the future of EdTech in the US and internationally.

We started this journey back in June 2016, and we plan to continue it for many more years to come. I hope that you will join us in this discussion of the past, present and future of EdTech and lend your own insight to the issues that are discussed.

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact Us

The Tech Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright © 2022 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.