Role of Technology
Students best learn the human value of the texts and ideas they study from the experience of engaging them in the context of a class, full of discussion, under the leadership of a good and wise teacher.
Educators have much to consider as the promises of technology often define the hopes and goals for schools of the future. Too often, educators uncritically embark on a string of technological experiments without considering the impact of the medium itself on the student learner. At the same time, some educators too willingly jettison tried-and-true approaches to learning (e.g., basic book reading, note-taking, discussing and debating, Socratic seminars, delivering speeches, handwriting in response journals, etc.) in order to adopt newer approaches that rely on the expensive gadgetry of emerging digital tools, partly in the interest of not appearing “out of date.”
While Cincinnati Classical Academy recognizes that emerging digital technologies provide greater access to resources, more convenient research tools, and quicker and more efficient means of communication and collaboration, we are keenly aware that digital technologies do not naturally translate into a better education. Research consistently shows that although children have greater access to computers and the Internet they are not better educated. Yes, computers and digital technologies are useful professional tools, but their role in authentic education is limited.
Students best learn the human value of the texts and ideas they study from the experience of engaging them in the context of a class, full of discussion, under the leadership of a good and wise teacher. Knowing how to access information on the internet is not equivalent to real knowledge or education. At CLASSICAL, we believe technology should be viewed as an enabler, not a driver.
Technology in the Classroom
We have a projector in every classroom, used by teachers to project PowerPoints (or equivalent) of information and short educational videos of content-area learning. Teachers all have a school-issued laptop for their professional use. Students are not required or permitted to bring cell phones, laptops, Apple watches, or other digital devices with them to school. Student use of technology will be limited to the school’s computer lab. We believe in the power of the teacher-student relationship in learning; children learn with paper, pencils, and real books.