Unleashing the potential of technology

During a recent trip to China, one constant complaint I heard is the abuse of iPads and other digital devices now popular among children.

Affluent parents put expensive gadgets, such as iPads, into their children's hands and expect them to work wonders. Instead, they go on to regret it, as their children use them just to play games.

One perplexed parent asked me: "Why aren't our tech-savvy children doing anything better with technology?" The word "technology" caught my attention, and I think we ought to first understand what we mean by "technology".

According to Alexandar Romiszowski at Syracuse University, technology is something that "uses scientifically established knowledge in order to achieve a desired purpose". That is obviously different from what most people see as technology. Technology is often equated to devices such as smartphones. But using smartphones for 10 hours a day does not mean people are tech-savvy. However, the manufacturers have helped to shape such technological associations in order to sell their products.

Many devices are now simply platforms where all kinds of applications converge. Some are extremely helpful, some moderately so, while some are just plain stupid. In my years as an educational technologist, I have tried hard to bust the myth that young people are naturally tech-savvy and I work with professors to teach students to use tech-tools for a healthy and productive life.

Digital devices can also be used to engage people in learning. A study by Abilene Christian University, for instance, showed that the use of iPads actually improved their students' scores and made them happier learners. This does not just result from simply putting devices in students' hands. My current university, for instance, gives students devices and then vigorously explores ways to make them productive tools to engage learners. For devices to deliver on their potential to help with learning, parents and teachers should deliberately mine the treasure trove of applications to find useful ones.

For instance, they learn how to use Endnote to organize notes and references. They learn to use social bookmarking tools to gather and organize other resources. They learn to use Evernote for notes that can be saved in the cloud and retrieved anywhere with Internet access.