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Computers and the attendant technology can no longer be considered desirable adjuncts to education. Instead, they have to be regarded as essential—as thinking prosthetics (Johnson 2001) or mind tools (Jonassen 1996). But, like any other tool, thinking prosthetics must be used properly to be effective

The sociocultural perspective focuses on the manner in which human intelligence is augmented by artifacts designed to facilitate cognition. Our intelligence is distributed over the tools we use (diSessa 2000; Hutchins 1995). The old saying, "To a man with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail" is very true

Pierre Lévy (1998) notes that one of the principal characteristics of the knowledge age, in which the Net Generation is growing up, is virtualization, a process in which "[an] event is detached from a specific time and place, becomes public, undergoes heterogenesis"

course modules focused on developing students' understanding of big ideas and global concepts,

have a daily learning practice that involves myriad social media platforms, a whole range of devices and connectivities, lots of interest in learning about new platforms and means of expression, and an intense inclination to be a learner around technology.

instructors who

Every student needs one-on-one access to computers and other mobile technology in classrooms.Every teacher needs professional development in the effective use of digital tools for teaching and learning, including the use of digital tools to promote writing.All schools and districts need a comprehensive information technology policy to ensure that the necessary infrastructure, technical support and resources are available for teaching and learning.

Proactive leadership in developing a shared vision for educational technology among all education stakeholders including teachers and support staff, school and district administrators, teacher educators, students parents, and the community

Technology-related professional learning plans and opportunities with dedicated time to practice and share ideas

Consistent and reliable assistance for maintaining, renewing, and using ICT and digital learning resources

Digital games for learning academic skills change depending on each student’s ability and course of action. Such games provide personalized feedback in real time—something a traditional classroom often doesn’t offer.

“The technology and the research have evolved to the point where we can actually have a sense of the impact games are having on learning,”

“One of the things we can do for these kids,” he says, “is to give them exposure to different contexts that they would never otherwise encounter.”

"It's not about the tools, Bill," Sheryl pushed back. "It's about the behaviors that the tools enable."

After all, most schools are investing their professional-development technology budget in training teachers to use computers for non-instructional purposes even though new tools allow for a significant shift in pedagogy.

Instead of exploring how new digital opportunities can support student-centered inquiry or otherwise enhance existing practices, today’s schools are preparing their teachers to use office automation and productivity tools like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

Put simply, project-based curriculum emphasizes learning through doing classroom projects that address a specific issue or challenge. Students typically carry out the projects in groups, and teachers guide them along

Tina Barseghian Editor of MindShift, a website about the future of learning Posted: January 7, 2011 02:48 PM BIO Become a Fan Get Email Alerts Bloggers' Index Napa New Tech High: 5 Reasons This is the School of the Future Amazing Inspiring Funny Scary Hot Crazy Important Weird Read More: Computer Tech School , Education Technology , Napa New Tech High , New Tech High Napa , New Tech Network , New Technology High , School Computer , Tech School , Tech Schools , Education News share this story 11481122 Get Education Alerts Sign Up Submit this story digg reddit stumble What does the high school of the future look like? It's one that emphasizes useful, relevant skills that can be applied

At Napa New Tech, you'll hear very little lecturing and see few teacher-led activities. For this school, the decision to use project-based curriculum was based not only on what topics students should learn, but also what skills they should acquire in school.

In order to create a universal set of educational standards, a few old requirements had to be replaced, according to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. One of which includes the requirement to teach cursive. Under that standard, states are no longer required to teach their students cursive. Instead of spending time teaching cursive, the standard requires states to spend more time teaching K-12 students how to type.

1. Learning Centered - Everyone (adults, children) is a learner; learners have agency; emphasis on becoming a learner over becoming learned.

2. Questioning - Inquiry based; questions over answers

3. Authentic - School is real life; students and teachers do real work for real purposes.

Initially, my main “hang up” was that this wasn’t anything new. A teacher would still lecture and students would have to listen passively. The only thing changing was the mode of distribution. However, I realized that a video lecture could be MORE engaging (for some students) because students can control the pace by which they are learning. In this on-demand society, the ability to pause, rewind, fast-forward is almost second-nature. Enabling that type of interaction with lecture can make it much easier to consume, especially with difficult topics.

Instead of exploring how new digital opportunities can support student-centered inquiry or otherwise enhance existing practices, today’s schools are preparing their teachers to use office automation and productivity tools like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

begins by introducing teachers to ways in which digital tools can be used to encourage higher-order thinking and innovative instruction across the curriculum.

Let me suggest that it is time to be done with this unnecessary conflict about 21st-century skills. Let us agree that we need all those forenamed skills, plus lots others, in addition to a deep understanding of history, literature, the arts, geography, civics, the sciences, and foreign languages.

What once seemed too complex to control is measured and manipulated.

But does the exhibition really help us understand these advances? Consider those outside displays. Some are being measured in real time (like nearby traffic or air quality); others are simulations based on historical data (like credit and debit card transactions).

But we get no practical sense of how traffic information might be useful.

it’s about flipping the attention away from the teacher and toward the learner.

Flipped classrooms may look more like “learning centers” where students are working on different tasks at the same time.