Know Thyself

When considering the most pertinent aspect of how to use technology, I found the following quote by Lao Tzu: “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” In technology, you can know all about the tools but until you understand how you use those tools, how they can best be applied to your purposes, you may be knowledgeable but you may not be “enlightened.”

In adult education, we are always looking for ways to better use technology to deliver a better experience for our students. One of the ways we can do this is to understand the technologies that exist and stay current with them. A practical use of technology for the teacher may prove difficult for the student. Teachers must be able to not only discuss the tool, but also to demonstrate how it will help the student learn.

This can be done in a variety of ways. An important first step in setting the tone for a class has been to review the course syllabus. Now, with the ever present use of technology, it is important for instructors to review the tools used in the class. This should include not just an explanation of what the tool can do, but also what the expectations are of students using the technology.