Many educators are spending time this January reflecting on the past year. For me, I am completely amazed at the integral role technology plays in the education of our children. Even our three year old, can log onto PBS Kids and navigate his way around. Just like many modern classrooms, it would be impossible for us to return to the "old ways." Let me explain.
A typical day for us begins with the children going to our class webpage and checking their assignments. I create weekly lessons for each child using the spreadsheet in Google Docs and post them on Sundays. This serves as an electronic assignment pad and is essential to all of us staying on track. I can quickly make changes as needed for each child and it is automatically updated on our website. So cool! From there, they navigate to various "online learning environments" such as Time4Learning, Spelling City or BrainPop to complete daily assignments.
Each child has their own gmail account so that I can create tests or reviews using the "forms" option in Google Docs. Also, I have used the "share" feature in Google Docs to establish a writer/editor relationship with our fourth grader. As she types her writing assignments, I am able to edit and send them quickly back to her before anything is ever printed. Amazing!
Learning has taken on an entirely new look for our children. It's going digital! When asked to brainstorm, they turn to wallwisher, create wordles or make flow maps in bubbl. When asked to define or explain a term, they "google it," use eyeplorer, visuwords or wikipedia. When asked to write a summary or do research, they create interactive reports using scratch, make animoto movies or digital posters using glogster. Books are still read, however, digital versions are explored using Google books and even our iPod Touch. Our fourth grader began blogging and our second grader is curious about stop-motion animation. Drawing is a favorite around here, but programs like Anime Studio, Manga Debut, Tux Paint, Acorn, and Scratch bring these drawings to life. In addition to "paper and pencil", stories are created on Storybird, art is created using a Bamboo tablet, journal time is inspired by images on Flickr and spelling words are turned into works of art using Spell With Flickr. Wow!
With the world at our fingertips, children today are truly part of a global community. Just this past semester, our children were able to take virtual field trips using Google Earth, correspond with people all over the world, and attend a "live" webcast from the Clearwater Aquarium as they honored Winter, the dolphin. In addition, we were able to research global customs and relive history through many fascinating, online resources.
Our children, like students all over the world, are experiencing the changing face of education first-hand. 21st century learning centers around technology and is cultivated through critical thinking. The student of today needs to be able access, process, analyze and effectively communicate the wealth of information that is readily available to them. Many classes use wiki's, twitter and other social networking tools to allow for collaboration and stimulate creative thinking. Through this collaborative process, students (and teachers) are able to develop clarity and lucidity in the expression of ideas while learning the importance of peer evaluation. Learning becomes more student-centered and the teacher plays the role of facilitator.
Digital learning is revolutionizing the landscape of modern education. In a world where preschoolers are learning phonics on iPods and elementary students are writing programs to create interactive reports, educators need to be in tune to the rapidly changing needs of the 21st-century student. As I reflect on the future learning of our own children, I hope I can provide them with meaningful experiences that fuel their creativity, ignite a passion for learning and ultimately develop their critical thinking.
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 6:48PM 
Believing that learning should always be fun and spark creativity, the team at Just Fun has reduced the price of their wacky, wild iPad app, Create-A-Monster to celebrate the start of a new school year. The app is on sale for $1.99 ffrom 9/1-9/6. To double the fun, I have FIVE, count them, FIVE promo codes to give away!!