What can you do with what you already have?
If we only chase after the latest and best, we’re just consumers and not creators. How can we avoid falling into this trap with EdTech?
David is driven by a passion for inspiring excellence and nurturing potential. Beyond the classroom, David is deeply committed to researching and integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance educational outcomes. His work emphasizes the transformative potential of technology in education, striving to make learning more personalized and responsive to the needs of today’s students. David’s ongoing initiatives to integrate AI into educational practices highlight his dedication to preparing both students and teachers for a future dominated by technology. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
A while back, I sat down with a photographer friend, geeking out over the latest lenses and cameras hitting the market. I rattled off specs, possibilities, and what this new tech could do. He listened patiently, then said something that stopped me cold:
“If we only chase after the latest and best, we’re just consumers and not creators.”
Although said casually, that statement got me rethinking a lot about my relationship with tech and my desire to always have the latest tool (something my wife Isabel appreciates… lol ). That moment didn’t just shift the way I thought about photography—it reframed how I approach educational technology.
As educators, it’s easy to fall into the tech trap. A shiny new tool promises to revolutionize learning. Another gadget claims to engage students like never before. Before we know it, we’re caught in the endless chase for “what’s next,” rather than asking the more important question: “What can I do with what I already have?”
EdTech should never be about the tools themselves. It’s about the learning they enable, the doors they open, and the creativity they inspire. A smartboard is just an expensive whiteboard if all we do is replicate old teaching habits on a new screen. AI is just another buzzword if we’re not leveraging it to empower students to think critically, ethically, and creatively. In my classroom, I see the magic happen when the tool becomes secondary to the creativity it sparks.
Take AI tools, for example. It’s not about what the tools can do for students—it’s about what they allow students to do for themselves. When my DP Physics students use ChatGPT, it’s not just to answer questions. It’s to question answers: “Why does this explanation work? How would I make it better? What’s missing?” Similarly, my math students use platforms like GeoGebra not just to solve problems, but to visualize patterns, experiment with ideas, and discover solutions in ways that feel personal and meaningful. These tools become pathways—not destinations. The same holds true for educators. When I work with colleagues, I challenge them to reimagine their relationship with EdTech. Instead of asking, “What tool can replace this task?” we need to ask, “How can this tool redefine learning in my classroom?” This mindset shift is transformational. It empowers educators to approach technology as a collaborator, not a crutch. It fosters innovation over imitation, creativity over consumption.
As Dr. Jennifer Wathall puts it in her book AI-Powered Pedagogy, “It is not about the tool you use; it is about how you use the tool.” Because here’s the thing: The tools will always change. They’ll get faster, smarter, and more intuitive. But creativity? That’s timeless. The next time you’re scrolling through EdTech catalogs or sitting in a demo for the latest app, pause. Think about what truly matters. The question isn’t, “What can this tool do?” The real question is, “What can I do with it?”
Let’s stop chasing. Let’s start creating.
