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predictions were delivered in IBM’s annual “5 in 5” report which describes five different technologies that, according to IBM, have the potential to change our lives

First off is mind reading technology

Next up is the extinction of passwords

What are we doing as educators to meaningfully engage our students, to give them the autonomy, purpose, and opportunity for mastery which they crave and to which they respond with focus, energy, enthusiasm, and diligence?

Do we think that before technology, most students avoided distraction?

Yes, of course, students can and do get distracted when their computers and smartphones are open on their desk or lap, and teachers need to respond thoughtfully to this problem.    It is fine for teachers to ask students to put them away in certain times.    William Stites has a terrific post about how schools can confront and manage the technological distraction issues

Again this is an excellent opportunity for teachers to rethink their approach to teaching. How might they promote more student-centred and self-directed learning via personal consumption instead? How might they put the iPads in the hands of learners to promote various forms of collaboration instead?

The initial energy needs to be sustained with pedagogies in the marathon that is teaching and learning.

Teaching is a complex, multifaceted activity, often requiring us as instructors to juggle multiple tasks and goals simultaneously and flexibly. The following small but powerful set of principles can make teaching both more effective and more efficient, by helping us create the conditions that support student learning and minimize the need for revising materials, content, and policies. While implementing these principles requires a commitment in time and effort, it often saves time and energy later on.