Raising a generation of free range students talks about the value of teaching kids to explore and think for themselves. I think incorporating technology in the classroom is very important when it's used right. I agree with the author, teachers and administrators need to have a clear picture of how it is they plan to use the technology and how it will, if this is their goal, improve academic achievement. A couple of years ago we opened a new school in our district. Teachers were very excited because it was going to be a "wired" school. All the classrooms had projectors mounted on the ceiling. All the teachers wanted to go to the "new school" but once the school was open and working. The technology department had to come up with ideas and professional development for the teachers in that particular school because the most teachers were not using the projector at all because they didn't know how to incorporate it in their teaching. Could you believe this?
The article also talks about engaged learning which is something that I've been hearing over and over again every day for the past two years. My school became a Reading First school and we are under the AZ state department's microscope. All they talk about is engaged learning. I personally believe it can work but students need to be taught procedures and what is expected of them when they are working on their own.
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You echo a sentiment that we hear frequently - teachers want the technology but don't know how to use it. I think if we want our students to be digital then we must also instruct our teachers how to be digital.
I agree that students need specific guidelines on how to work independently. Too often, we fall into the trap of assuming that since it seems obvious to us then it must be equally obvious to our students.
It seems that students are more skilled at working with technology than some of their the teachers are. One thing that I noticed is that there is often lack of teacher training. Hopefully this will change in the coming years.
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