Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

Ask a Tech Teacher contributor, Jane Sandwood, has interesting ideas on blending tech with tradition:

Balancing Technology With Traditional Teaching To Enhance Performance In Class

California has recently increased state investment in school technology, focusing on better broadband connections and supporting further teaching of computer science. Although there is still some debate about the benefits of increasing use of technology in schools, there appears to be plenty of evidence to show that, if used effectively, it can greatly enhance learning. It isn’t as productive on its own, and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for good teachers. However, blended learning takes the positive aspects of technology and combines them with tried and tested teaching methods. Although children are naturally becoming citizens of the digital world, for them to integrate fully and in a positive way in this new society, they still need guidance from teachers.

No doubt you’ll have seen countless people walking the streets with their heads down, using their phones to locate their next catch, or congregating together in areas of interest to battle at Pokémon gyms. Perhaps you’re even a top trainer yourself.

As a futures senior innovation developer at Jisc, you might expect that I’d be jumping for joy at seeing augmented reality (AR) make its way into the mainstream. But if I’m honest, I’ve struggled to get excited.