Technology in School

I recently read a debate between Jon Schnur and Microsoft. The argument was that technology should be used in the classroom as a support to teaching. Schnur believes that if centuries ago we thought "how can we use technology to improve the horse drawn carriage", the automobile would have never been invented. He then says we need to improve the educational equivalent to the " horse drawn carriage" and create new models of schooling and education that eventually lift up a redesigned teaching job and profession and the way we educate our students. Basically his argument is that we should use technology to support changes in teaching and the way we educate or students instead of basing our education off technology.

Microsoft agrees with the later part of this argument. They believe that we need to look beyond the devices and equipment used in teaching and start using technology to improve the core of education. Furthermore, the believe technology should be used to improve the data on students do that we can create personalized education. For example Microsoft Partners in Learning is now teaching teachers how to do their lesson plans using this personalized student data to improve education.

This is a debate near to my heart. My mother has taught second grade gifted for over 35 years and she would agree with Schnur's argument. Just recently she has started using computers in her class to support her teaching through the use of googling and a spelling game. I would consider this a slight resistance to change. In contrast though, I have very close friends who have just recently begun to teach. They use Microsoft prospective of technology in their teaching.Their lesson plans are done electronically and technology is integrated into every aspect of their teaching. So I ask the question: Should technology be used as a support system in teaching or should it we the tool that changes education?
Debate- technology in classroom