Having Technology is NOT Enough

Do you have a piece of popular technology that you use in your classroom? In my short teaching career, I have had some. But what us teachers need to understand is just having the technology or even using it doesn't even mean it will improve students the excitement for learning. Consider the Following quote:

"Popular classroom tools...don't excite kids." -Bill Ferriter

My first reaction to this was "Duh!" But after some thinking, I am going to agree and disagree with this statement. 

I disagree because last year when teaching in New Albany, I received a brand new SmartBoard in my classroom. As soon as the students walked into the room they were excited! All students wanted to be in the room and couldn't wait to interact with it. So just having this popular tool the students were excited because it was NEW.

I agree with this statement because it is not the popular tools, but the new way of learning that students are able to experience with these tools brings out true excitement in students. Once getting the SmartBoard, the way student where interacting with each other and the content of study began to change the way they learned into a more interactive and interesting way, therefore the students were excited to learn.

Ultimately teachers need to remember is that students get excited when learning is real and personal to them and technology is just only a tool that can help achieve this, but isn't always required.