I've had ongoing discussions with artists and educators who aggressively advocate for high-quality human experience they believe they can provide via handheld tablets. The artist is adamant his iPad paintings are a valid form of art. The educator is touting his implementation of iPads to Kindergarteners in a Maine public school district. In both cases I asked the same question: "Are you advocating for this because it adds value, or just because you can?"
I ask the question because we live in the age of "just because I can." We don't need a reason ... we simply push the boundaries of traditional assumptions. If I can do something that couldn't be done five years ago, it has de facto value and any arguments are invalid. In a virtual world vacuum this may be true; in a vacuum there are no real world implications. But as educators, there are very real implications for how we think about research-based learning theory and the integration of technology into learning. I continue to think through this personal pedagogical dilemma, as a veteran educator and techie. I write this as an open invitation to you to think this through with me.
In the case of the artist, the crux of the discussion focused on the medium: is painting on an iPad a valid form of art? The artists using such technology insist, "Yes, a computer tablet is an art medium." I try to understand