I appreciate the perspective that Dr. Veletsianos shared regarding the fallacy of the cult of technology in our culture, and particularly in education. I refer to the cult of technology referencing our obsession with and idolization of technology, heralded as a panacea for all that ails and a boundless source of novelty and fun. I believe there is great wisdom in his advice to think about personal interests, problems to solve, and potential societal benefit when considering research, career trajectory, and one’s life work. 

     I enjoy metaphors that illustrate the role of technology in education. One commonly referenced is that technology is the vehicle, while learning activities, participants, and content are what happens inside the vehicle while in transit. While the vehicle is integral to the journey, it would be irrelevant without the players and components it carries. Consider the metaphor of a garden to represent an educational environment, and within it, technology could fittingly be represented by the tools. Tools would be irrelevant without people to utilize them, resources such as soil, seeds, plants, water, and sunlight, and a combination of information and knowledge. These complex systems rely on interconnectedness and balance to achieve goals.

     It is easy to become fixated on having the biggest, shiniest, fancy vehicle for our journey, or every cool gadget and tool you can find at Lee Valley for gardening, with the perception that these will simplify, ease, fix problems, or just be more fun. To some degree, this may be true, but too often, we assume a blind, consumerist approach and buy, buy, buy without sufficient consideration. Suddenly, the vehicle or the tools overshadow, or even marginalize and subjugate other elements of the systems, draining resources rather than facilitating important processes. 

     I hate to end on a fatalistic note, so to temper my criticisms, I return to Dr. Veletsianos’ charge to identify problems, challenges, and goals in learning and technology that are of personal interest to us using resources that we have now. Consider factors beyond just technology, such as accessibility, organizational and pedagogical issues. This is a fascinating field with incredible opportunities for positive impact!