Technology is advancing at an accelerating rate. Schools are providing teens with a traditional education, but they are unable to keep up with this evolution. Limited individual computer accessibility, minimal hands-on training for teachers, and insufficient technical support are all obstacles many schools face. While the availability of curriculum continues to grow, the lack of time and skills required to select, integrate, and teach with technology continues to be a barrier. In addition, funding to provide updated computers, ongoing maintenance, training and support will always be a challenge.
The result is an inability for schools to provide the time, space, or platform for teens to fully utilize technology, either individually or in groups. This lack of integration prevents teens from gaining skills and extending their abilities with technology. Therefore, teens miss the opportunity to find their passion with, or through the use of technology, including the chance to interact with others.
John Evans on 20 Jul 14"With most teachers out of school for the summer by now, summer learning loss probably isn't top priority. After all, the kids are back in their parents' hands for at least a couple of months, right? If the students aren't in your classroom, there isn't a whole lot you can do beyond a summer reading list (that the parents may or may not encourage their students to complete, anyway). What you do have to worry about is the amount of catching up you need to do once you have students back in your classroom in the fall. The handy infographic below takes a look at some interesting statistics on summer learning loss, aka the 'summer slide'. It also offers some really simple ways to keep kids' brains churning along during their summer break. You can even offer these as simple recommendations to parents, to show them that summer learning doesn't necessarily mean their kids need to sit down and read all of Dostoevsky's works before the evenings get chilly!"
