Letter to Educators

Dear Teachers and Administrators,

I am writing this letter to address a hot topic in education right now: the use of technology in the classroom. Computers and technological devices are increasingly a part of our daily lives. Children are surrounded by all sorts of electronics—they gravitate towards them. Communication, shopping, transactions, and the hunt for information are all taking place online. How does this fit with our schools, where activities and lessons are primarily off-line? It seems that we are hearing over and over again that we need to be using technology in our lessons and to bring technology into the classroom for everyday use. My recent grad school project has helped me to understand this issue a little more clearly. I’d like to share some insights I’ve gained with you.

Kids today are known as “digital natives.” They were born into a world where technology, computers, and electronics surround them. There is a gadget for everything, a place to go online for anything you need. Kids know how to operate remote controls, video games, computer programs, iPods, and cell phones from a very early age. Many teachers are not digital natives, although those just entering the profession are beginning to be so. People that have seen the beginning of the information age in their adult lives are known as “digital immigrants,” those that have not always been immersed in technology. Teachers that are digital immigrants may know less about computers and their use than students in their classes. This can be a daunting scenario. How can teachers effectively use technology in the classroom when students are sometimes many steps ahead in the use of these tools? Teachers need ample training and support in order to start integrating technology.

Classrooms have not changed a whole lot in the last 50 years. Students sit in desks, write with pencils and pens, and are instructed by teachers who are primarily the keepers of information. The traditional methods of instruction that are time-tested have indeed educated millions of children, but education has not changed along with the way the world is changing. Students in our schools today will enter a workforce where they will very likely use computers, and will be expected to be adept at researching online, communicating with people around the globe, and using technology for critical problem solving and innovation in their fields. We need to prepare students for success in the 21st century.

Many schools around the country are changing curriculum to include 21st century learning skills. These schools go beyond requiring mastery in knowledge and understanding learning targets and help students to access higher-order thinking skills—analyzing and synthesizing information, creating solutions, and collaborating with each in new ways. Utilizing technology to bring about 21st century skills is not just about using a computer in a classroom. Computers are used in many ways that have nothing to do with innovative learning. Technology integration is sometimes limited to drill and practice programs, word processing programs, or instructional games that are simply electronic versions of traditional teaching activities. Instead students can be researching, collaborating, and creating their own content in authentic ways. While students work on these projects, they are taught safe and appropriate use of technology in a supervised environment.

Students who do not have access to technology, nor access to technology education, are at a distinct disadvantage compared to students who do experience the benefits of technology at school. We must address the digital divide, finding funding to support students in low income areas as well as utilizing the many free resources that exist online.

All of these efforts require time and extra resources for teachers. Administrators should provide sufficient training for teachers at all levels of proficiency with computers so that technology is used effectively in the classroom. Above all, teachers, administrators, and parents should be ever vigilant about helping children know safe and responsible ways to use online resources both at school and at home. We should constantly look for ways to help students to be successful learners and citizens of the 21st century.

Sincerely,
Molly Wiecks