Technology has changed the way we learn.
Kindle. iPhone. iTouch. wii. XBox. Netflix. Skype. Facetime. iMessage. Instagram. Vine. Facebook.
This generation of kids are constantly plugged in. Entertained from birth via some sort of technology. Very different from previous generations, where kids made their own noise, invented and played their own games, built their own forts, their own imaginary worlds, and spent most of their time running around outside, instead of in an alternate reality via video games and technology. As teachers, we have to find a way to hook these kids, to keep them engaged, to capture their innate sense of curiosity, and use that as a foundation from which to build learning experiences. And technology is the most powerful tool we can use to engage their most powerful tool: their brain. Through technology, we CAN engage them, foster inquiry, allow them to create, design, question, communicate, and share. Technology is their first language. It's time to make it ours, too! |
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