New School vs Old School

Sometimes, I think "Why do I need to teach spelling? These days, most things are done on computers and have spell check." or "Why do I need to teach handwriting? My students will probably type most documents; anything handwritten will be for personal use and if they can understand it why bother?" And I then answer my own question- humans are not computers. We do see a definite increase in computer and technology use in everyday life, but there are still "old school" skills we must learn. Research shows that the tactile response children get from writing helps them learn (and retain) letter-sound correspondence thus improving their decoding. Reading will always be an essential skill. Period, end of sentence, no negotiations. If writing helps the learning process, we need to teach it.
Over the course of the semester we have touched upon many benefits of integrating technology. I do firmly believe that technology can enhance the educational experience. The visual stimulation screens provide is such a motivator for students. Technology can make lessons more interactive and relatable to real life. I believe the technology we include should compliment the education we would provide without it. I do not think it should replace it. In many cases, this is not a real/ relevant danger. In some cases it is.
As a teacher, I am starting to use various multimedia in my classroom. But I am very selective about videos, visuals or sound clips I create/ choose. When using clips in my class I ask myself several questions (is this relevant, is it appropriate, does it add to the experience I am creating, will it engage my students.) If I cannot answer all of them, I may choose to "kick it old school".
If nothing else, the one lesson I would like to take from this class (and to impart to others) is evaluation of technologies we choose. We should not be sticking in technology tangentially. When we choose to use technology it should be meaningful and provide for real learning. This is the only way to reap the full benefits of technology integration.