Personal Philosophy Paper

 Personal Philosophy Paper 

Summary and Purpose 

Technology is an ever-present part of our daily lives now and it is unarguably a part of our future; therefore, technology must have a place in our education system as well.  The purpose of technology in education is to prepare students for the world beyond the classroom—a world where technology is an unavoidable, integral part of their lives both now, and certainly in their futures.  Simply put, students can learn without technology, but the ones that learn to use it will have greater opportunities (Couros 2020).  As educators, we have a professional obligation to ensure that our students are prepared to enter college or the work force when they graduate.  Additionally, we know that the use of educational technology in schools can help build digital skillsets in our students—skillsets that can serve as a lever for equity and help close the achievement gap created by poverty (Coker 2020).  How can we endeavor to meet these lofty goals if we do not include educational technology in our curriculum?  We cannot, and not attempting to do so is a disservice to our students and as a result, our futures.   

Biblical Support 

1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (English Standard Bible, 2001).  This verse reminds us that we have a biblical responsibility to do everything in our lives, including our work as a teacher, to the glory of God.  God expects us to glorify Him in our work, and to me, this means ensuring that we are doing our best to help our students learn and grow, and this cannot be done without integrating technology into our students’ education.  Additionally, the bible tells us the value of doing our best in our professions in Proverbs 22:29: “Do you see a man skillful in his work?  He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men” (English Standard Bible, 2001).  God reminds us that we will stand before kings when we work to honor him through our professions.  Skillful teachers must use technology within their lessons to ensure that our students will be prepared for their future lives outside of our classrooms.  Finally, Psalm 90:17 tells us, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (English Standard Bible, 2001).  Using our hands, doing the work that we are called by God to do, brings honor to the Lord; therefore, it is our responsibility to do our best work, including utilizing technology in education to best meet the needs of our students. 

Concluding Statement 

  The integration of technology into our educational plans is non-negotiable in terms of both our biblical and professional responsibilities.  Because the known effects of educational technology include preparing our students to be future ready and giving our students the skillsets they need to level the field in terms of the achievement gap, it is imperative that teachers work to integrate it effectively.  Further, including educational technology as part of our curriculum is necessary to excellence in teaching, and we are called to strive for excellence in our work by God.  Educational technology allows teachers to perform to the best of their ability, which in turn gives students the ability to work towards growing their own abilities and having the necessary skills to prepare better futures for us all.   

Page Break 

 

References 

Coker, H. (2020).  Why does digital learning matter?  Digital competencies, social justice, and critical pedagogy in initial teacher education.  Journal of teaching and learning (14)1, 133-141.  https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v14i1.6259   

Courus, G. (2013, October 9).  The math of educational technology.  George Couros.  The Math of Educational Technology – George Couros.   

English Standard Bible. (2016). Crossway Bibles. (Original work published 2001) 

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