technological distractions

In the opening class, we watched a short movie by the acclaimed Canadian film maker and animator Norman McLaren. It was a comical story of a man on stage trying to get a microphone to work properly. As he went to great lengths to get the microphone to work, I started thinking about my own personal use of technology, and how it can be a major distraction. The film reminded me of a similar situation I had in December, 2009.

I was asked to lead a Christmas sing-along at my school in a large auditorium-type room for three hundred people. Armed with my acoustic guitar, I was determined to use technology to enhance the sing-along. I hooked up two dynamic microphones to a microphone pre-amplifier, which was then plugged into a monitor speaker that finally fed into the room’s sound system. I fumbled with all the cables, volume controls, microphone stands, all in an attempt to get the microphones to properly amplify my voice and my guitar. I could never quite get the vocal microphone and guitar microphone to balance properly, and the microphones were either too close or too far from my guitar.

As I continued to tweak the microphone settings, students and teachers started to fill the room. I had no time left!

I had an epiphany: forget the microphones!

Once the audience was settled, I realized that the technology was not helping; it was making things more difficult. I also realized that the technology was distracting me from what I should have really been focusing on: the content of my presentation.

So, for the first song (Jingle Bells), I pushed away the microphones, strummed my guitar and loud as possible, and sang at top volume, without any amplification. The audience probably wondered why there were microphones and sound equipment, because I never used them for the entire sing-along. And it was one of the most enjoyable, heart warming Christmas sing-along’s I had ever participated in.

My role as a technology teacher allows me to enjoy the many benefits of technology. But I also realize the shortcomings of any new technology, and the danger of using technology for the sake of using technology. Like the character in Norman McLaren’s short film, educators must know when technology is enhancing our abilities, and when technology is an unneeded distraction. And, we must know that it is sometimes okay to pull the plug, turn off the technology, and achieve our goals without digital assistance.