nothing new here but i like this metaphor for explaining the concept of students as content creators, AND for justifying its importance.

"Most of us went through school and, by and large, succeeded. When we had education done to us, we experienced what I call the "just in case model" of education. We learned things just in case they might be useful. Just in case they might be on the test. Just in case we might look for a job in that area. Just in case you might study physics later on. And a key reason that education developed this model was that the predominant mode of teaching, and hence learning, relied on the predominant technology of the day: paper. . . .

Join the italki community and get help from a global community of language learners and teachers. Get answers to your questions, get corrections on your writings, share free resources, and more. Language Exchange Make friends around the world so you can practice your written and spoken language skills. Don't be one of those people who has never used a foreign language to communicate with someone! Find a language teacher who can teach you online, at a convenient time for you, and at a price you're comfortable with. Find language products and services to help you learn a language.

We need to analyse and come to a better understanding of the impact of technology, and in particular our 1:1 implementation in the Secondary School, on students and their media habits. Asking students to be using books more may not be the answer, and in fact may be a reactionary approach. Maybe we need to reduce the number of books on shelves to provide room for better designed spaces e.g. 'sound-proofed' smaller areas where 4-5 people can plug a laptop into a large flat screen and collaborate over research or other online/multimedia task Maybe we need to set up podcasting stations and higher-end computers for enhanced video work in areas that all can access, not just in specialist rooms Maybe we need to initiate more discussions based on the reading material available, eg latest magazines and encourage higher order thinking through interaction with other communities and libraries via video conferencing and virtual classrooms

those are quotes from the post. this is part of what i envision for the future of our library.

yesssssssssssssssss.

interesting list of 47 digital skills teachers should possess.  you can test yourself.

Jeremy Rifkin, the author of the just-published book The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis, suggests that The Age of Reason is being eclipsed by the Age of Empathy." "Unfortunately, Rifkin says, our educational structures and modes of teaching science remain grounded in the Age of Reason. Rote memorization of facts, competition among peers and individual achievement are hallmarks of this approach." "Today, young people see the world in a different way than their parents, who often cannot understand why their children are always glued to their BlackBerries in an orgy of talking, texting and tweeting. While their parents value individualism and privacy, today's youngsters view connectivity, interaction and collaboration as everything. And forget privacy; for them, being out of touch is a cardinal sin." "The extent of their kids' connectivity is disturbing to many adults. "If your kids are awake, they're probably online,"" "There is a tendency to view kids' passionate embrace of networked relationships and connectivity as an aberration ("what is this generation coming to?") or as a temporary event ("they'll grow out of it"). These responses may miss the larger picture. Kids' embrace of a new way of being in the world may mirror changes that have been steadily increasing in other areas of society, including science. "