The Alberta Teachers’ Association

As a technology teacher for many years, I’ve seen my share of tech gaffes and glories. Little did I think I’d experience both during an interesting trip to Lacombe a little while back, and have a chance to view both sides of the tech divide from a unique vantage point.

While driving to our division’s welcome back/first official day of the year, three colleagues and I regaled each other with tales of our summer adventures. Of particular delight to a fellow veteran educator and me were the excited stories and questions of our two companions —newly minted, first-year teachers. Their eagerness and excitement promised to make the journey, and the day, an exciting one.

As we approached Lacombe, my veteran colleague — the driver — asked if I had printed off the Google directions as I’d said I would. To my chagrin, I realized I hadn’t. Obviously, the last vestige of summer brain had not yet completely vanished. Fortunately, possessed of an excellent visual memory, I assured her that once we entered the town we would have just three turns to make and we’d be there. I could see the map in my mind. No problem! She looked at me with a raised eyebrow and said nothing more.

Ten minutes later, it was obvious that Google Maps had not accurately plotted the school’s location. It was not where it was supposed to be! What could we do?

Quickly, by using our decades of educational and technological experience, my colleague and I decided to stop and look at an enormous town map at a roadside pullout we just happened to be passing. Within moments, we’d located the school — on the opposite side of the town from where Google had said it would be. Confidently, we returned to the car and sagely informed our two young companions that we’d be at the school, for their very first professional day, in no time.

Just as quickly, but with even more confidence, they perked up and said that while we were looking at the 2-D map, they’d checked the route online using a different website and had found the school faster than we had.

My colleague and I drove on in silence, slightly chagrined that a couple of first years were clucking that a digital device was so much better than an actual, physical map. Our silence lasted until one of them airily concluded with, “I always use my device to find where I want to go, since I know that the blue line will always take me to the purple thingy.”

Suddenly, our ability to read a 2-D map didn’t seem so antiquated after all! In fact, it seemed as powerful — if not more so — than relying strictly on pastel-based navigation skills. We veterans could have used our own digital devices too, but the map was right there as we rolled by and we located the school in seconds — voilà! Could our young colleagues have done the same if they hadn’t had their devices? I’m sure they could have (I hope they could have!), since there is such a thing as running out of power, and not all of the world is connected with cheap data plans.

We made it on time, had a good day and were able to safely return home as well. All in all, our little trip was a most interesting way for them to begin a career.

Ray Suchow teaches computers, religious studies and information processing at Christ the King School in Leduc. ❚