Distracting Technologies

Doug Johnson asks "How do we deal with the distractive qualities of technology in schools?" I honestly don't think this is technology problem, it is an engagement problem. Would anyone argue that students were always paying close attention and never distracted in school before iPods and Twitter were available? One person commented that this is much more of an issue in secondary than elementary schools. True, simply because older students tend to have more access to these devices. Are elementary students more likely to be interested and focused on the lesson? Others commented on making sure you, as educator, are using technologies for a purpose, not just "because." I think this is completely off topic. Students can benefit from lessons using any kind of technology or not. The educator's job is to get them interested and keep them engaged. If this is happening, they won't be listening to their iPods. If it is not, they will find other ways of entertaining themselves, passing notes, doodling, etc. The question about how to use technology effectively as a learning tool is another discussion entirely.