Too Much Technology?

How much technology is too much technology? Is there even such a thing? Should technology be allowed in classrooms? If yes, what kinds of technology? How should it be incorporated? Would limiting technology in the classroom be helping or hindering a students ability to learn? All these questions and more were central themes of our classroom discussion this last week in TEAC 259.
The answers to these questions are not black and white. There are many diverse opinions concerning technology inside and outside of the classrooms, and rarely are any of these opinions wrong. For example, we discussed how, when looked at with a broad perspective, technology dates back all the way to an invention as simple as a window. At the time such technology could be perceived as a distracting thing to have in the classroom. However, the human population learned how to adapt to this distraction until it reached a point where it wasn't even considered as such. It is possible that we may see a similar shift in the technology we tend to think as too distracting for a classroom currently.
This being said, the easiest way to decipher what should be allowed or not allowed in the classroom should be left to the discretion of the teacher. It should not be something ignored or tabooed by a teacher, but rather something welcomed and incorporated wherever it is helpful to prove a point. In a reading we did for class, it talked about using an approach called TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge). This encourages teachers to use their knowledge of their subject matter, students, and technology to incorporate technology in new and interesting ways in the classroom when it is applicable. I think this is a great way to go about using technology in a classroom. If a new idea for using technology becomes a hindrance in the classroom, then a different approach should be taken. If you think outside of the box and use technology in engaging and relevant ways then it will not be a distraction but will help students unlock the abilities they need to be successful in today's world.