The integration of technology in the classroom has revolutionized the abilities of learning and assessment in classrooms. The impact of devices inside classrooms and homes has opened endless opportunities for students to grow, but it has also made them more susceptible to distractions and temptations.
Information and the speed of change are growing exponentially with each passing year. Steven Bartlet writes in his book, "Diary of a CEO," about interviewing Michael Simmons who said (in 2020), "if someone is 40 years old today, the rate of change they experience in 2040, when they are 60, will be four times what it is now. What feels like a year's worth of change by today's standards will occur in three months. When someone who is 10 today is 60, they'll experience a year of today's rate of change in just 11 days."
Change is an ever-present force that is accelerating at an exponential rate. It is an undeniable reality that we cannot evade until it exhausts itself and departs. Change is an ongoing process, and the true test lies in how we proactively ready ourselves, equip ourselves, and wholeheartedly embrace the evolving transformations.
Should technology be used in the classroom? Yes. Are we doing it (collectively) in the right way? Absolutely not. Now, out of the COVID chaos (some for a longer time than others), we need to rebuild a foundation that is not called "Emergency Remote Learning."
The opportunities to use technology to enhance learning are deep and wide. The problem is that our teachers and administrators don't have the training or experience to consider what effective technology integration looks like.
So, who owns the screen time?
Teachers, parents, administrators, and students. There is not one governing body that should own the screen time, but each should be able to do so in their own way. Digital citizenship is becoming less of a novelty topic and more of a required course of learning.
Teachers need to know how to effectively use the available technology to create in-depth learning experiences that explain and model the content in clear, student-friendly language, allowing for the practice of topics to be showcased by the students' passions and understandings.
Administrators need to get out of their own heads that school is the way it was when they were in the classroom. They should lean on instructional coaches. When they observe a classroom with an energetic, innovative teacher, they shouldn't let the rubric guide their evaluation; instead, they should participate in the lesson to see the impact of the instructional design. Consider that the practices of the classroom need to evolve faster. Foundational pedagogical strategies can point teachers in the right direction, but innovative, creative designs (blended learning, flipped, PBL, gamification, and STEM, to start) need to take the learning to the next level.
Parents need to own the screen time at home. There are many different ways to monitor apps and Wi-Fi usage, but that is only part of the ownership. Own time with your kids. Own the screen-free time. Share and discuss; put your own phones down and make family time that much more important because the screens will suck time away that you won't get back. Daniel Siegel writes in his book, "The Whole-Brain Child":
"As children develop, their brains 'mirror' their parents' brains. In other words, the parents' own growth and development, or lack of those, impact the child's brain. As parents become more aware and emotionally healthy, their children reap the rewards and move toward health as well. That means that integrating and cultivating your own brain is one of the most loving and generous gifts you can give your children."
A parent's emotional health and maturity are huge influences on their students' use and abuse of technology and screen time. Discernment, boundaries, right and wrong are all topics that need to be ingrained into our students, but it starts with the parents.
Students need to embrace the fact that, although they have access to all the answers, they might not know everything. The teenager of today has become more powerful compared to the teenager of the 90s, with a smartphone in their pocket and AirPods in their ears. Teenagers have developed an impenetrable shield. They need to learn to discern and be better than the world's addictions that are out there. They should be shining examples of exemplary technology use, dedicated to transforming the world rather than squandering time on insignificant games.
Moving forward to the next phase, our focus is on making learning impactful and long-lasting. We aim to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills to actively pursue innovation and push the boundaries of our current understanding of learning.
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