This week, I had the opportunity to debate the topic: Has technology led to a more equitable society? I didn’t feel particularly strong about either side at first, so being assigned the remaining position turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it pushed me to dig deep, do my research, and build a solid case from the ground up.

At first glance, I instinctively thought, Of course it has! Technology has made huge strides over the years, and many of those changes have been for the better. There are countless apps, tools, and platforms available to support people in every area of life, especially in education. Students now have access to apps for nearly anything they want to learn or do.

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One point the pro side made was that technology acts as a gateway, even if access isn’t equal, really stuck with me. It’s true that not everyone has the same access, but having some access is still better than none. They also argued that comparing access across divisions, cultures, or rural and urban settings doesn’t always make sense because those differences are already built in. I appreciated their perspective, especially their point about how technology allows for global collaboration across cultures and communities, which was supported by the following article.

That said, I do think there are certain comparisons that should be made, like urban to urban or rural to rural. Communities in similar settings should have similar levels of access, but that’s not always the case. Indigenous communities, for example, often still face significant digital barriers. The article from the Assembly of First Nations highlights how many communities lack the basic infrastructure for high-speed internet. It’s frustrating to see such a deep digital divide still exist within our own country. Jill’s video further emphasized this reality and showed just how many people are still being left behind.

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So, while I agree that technology has made society more equitable in certain ways, there’s still a long way to go. Personally, I find myself leaning more toward the disagree side mainly because so many groups continue to be overlooked in this digital transformation.

Kudos to the pro side for presenting such thoughtful arguments and challenging my thinking throughout the debate!

The debate about whether schools should continue teaching skills that can easily be done by technology was a tough one. It felt like both sides were actually advocating for a similar goal, just from different angles. Neither side was pushing to eliminate cursive writing, multiplication tables, or spelling entirely, but rather to move away from rote memorization of these skills. With technology becoming more integrated into classrooms, I understand the value in shifting our approach, since students may not need the same type of instruction as before. Still, I strongly believe these foundational skills play an important role in students’ development throughout their education.

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The pro side made strong points: these traditional skills support reading and writing development (which is confirmed in the following article), are part of the human experience, and relying solely on technology could create inequities for students who lack access. I agree with these arguments, especially since I see the benefits of writing by hand every day in my own teaching. Like I mentioned during the debate, writing helps me focus and retain information because it’s a personal, active process. Of course, not everyone learns the same way, which is where challenges can arise.

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The opposing side also raised thoughtful points that made me reflect. They highlighted how students who struggle with traditional methods can build discipline through coding, music, and creative outlets, which I absolutely love. They also encouraged us to consider the future and to be brave enough to let go of outdated tools when they no longer serve students’ needs. As someone who often falls into familiar routines, this was a great reminder to be open to change. I appreciated the article they shared from “My Cursive”. It outlined both the pros and cons of cursive writing, showing that there isn’t a clear right or wrong answer, just valid arguments on both sides.  I also found this short video which describes the clash between tradition and modernity in education. Even though people are trying to keep cursive writing in schools because they care about history and reading skills, technology and new ways of learning are making cursive less important in today’s classrooms.

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In the end, I do see value in teaching spelling, cursive, and multiplication, but in moderation. I don’t think technology should replace these skills entirely, but I also believe we need to be mindful of how much time we spend on them, especially if they’re not helping students in meaningful ways. With so many learning styles in one classroom, we need a balanced approach. Combining technology with traditional tools can help us reach more students and support diverse ways of learning.

Great work debaters!