Students and the Digital Age

Our students live in a vastly diverse world, especially considering the world most of our parents grew up in 40 years. Technology has connected the world like never before. Now people can see what is happening across the globe and chat with someone across continents in a matter of seconds. Gone are the days of snail mail. These students walking through our classroom door have never grown up without technology and access tot he internet. They do not know the dreadful sound of dial up or had farmer vision television with 3 channels.  Many people see this as a bad thing that is harming and depersonalizing the younger generations. But I disagree. I think it is a toolbox used to empower students. It starts of as a blank sheet for students to make something of themselves. to gives them tools to let them discover and explore to let them use their creativity and put their own spin on it. Sure it can be used for both good and bad, but that's where our role as teachers comes in to give them the skills and knowledge to be responsible citizens and to be leaders. To guide students and trust them. Because truth is the digital world is not going anywhere, so instead of banning it equip students to make the best of it and lets them grow and expand their horizons.

I think especially as teachers it is important to stay connected and build those networks that can expand your classroom with new ideas and resources. I cannot say enough how being aware of new and quality resources can change your life. But lets be real even if you have those resources it can take time to learn them and to incorporate it into the curriculum and classroom. But nevertheless it is so so very IMPORTANT. I struggled as a student in school. I found it hard to get my ideas from my head to the paper, but now they have these tools that can a student can speak into and it translates it to the paper. This would've been so helpful in my case that could have really changed my outlook at school. It is stuff like that or simply using videos like GO NOODLE in the classroom that can make a real difference for students.

Personally, I'm unsure where this digital age will take us in education. But I feel that it has endless possibilities, and at the end of the day if it is able to enhance students learning and make them successful then it must be discovered and be used in the classroom!


Until next time.

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