I agree that we need to change teaching and learning, and that this involves proper use of technology in education, and teachers need to be aware of and fluent in new technologies.
But…
A strong self image is worth a million retweets.
The ability to work with others and achieve a goal is worth at least 256,000 electronic “friends.”
A weak work ethic is still a greater liability than never having posted on youtube.
Much of what happens between teachers and students is intrinsically valuable. Building character is still a primary goal of what we do. What I am asking for folks, is balance.
I feel that the mere presence of technology in the classroom is not the goal of educational technology. The application of technology in the classroom must be based on sound pedagogical principles. I think sometimes we get caught up in the “Gee Whiz” factor of new technologies. I agree that interaction between student and teacher is extremely important and we should strive to minimize the transactional distance in asynchronous communication that is inherent in technology based learning.