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# Technology doesn't per ipsa make for better pedagogy
- URL: https://thepatrologist.com/technology-doesnt-per-ipsa-make-for-better-pedagogy/
- Published: 2015-07-27T21:00:50.000Z
- Updated: 2015-07-27T21:00:50.000Z
- Author: Seumas Macdonald
- Tags: Pedagogy, #Migrated-1784156034836, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-15 22:54

I don't really like to spend my time criticising pedagogical approaches, but last week a sponsored post by Dr. Kinneer appeared over at [http://www.challies.com/sponsored/ancient-greek-for-the-digital-age](http://www.challies.com/sponsored/ancient-greek-for-the-digital-age?ref=thepatrologist.com)

Now, I am all for digital tools, and I think what Dr. Kinneer goes on to describe (and there is a link to a sample lesson ([https://youtu.be/1zJ7twvimdM](https://youtu.be/1zJ7twvimdM?ref=thepatrologist.com))), is a great step forward, but if you do watch the video, I think it tells you that this line in the article, "Multimedia resources allow for new and better ways to learn an ancient language." is actually false. Because this is not a new way to learn an ancient language, nor in my opinion is it a better way. It is the same traditional approach embedded into multimedia presentation.

Is it an improvement? Probably. Does using bite-sized multimedia presentations and tools help? Undoubtedly (for some, though I have more and more concerns about how the connectedness of devices contributes to inability to concentrate on the presence of the present). But this isn't pedagogical novelty, it's the same **very** well-travelled train being re-gauged and put on a new track.

If we really want to improve the teaching of Greek there is only one thing for it - to engage in the very best practices in second language acquisition, learn from the research in SLA, and be prepared to change at a fundamental level the pedagogical approaches used, rather than carry on down a path that sees hours of blood and sweat poured out for very little reward.