22 August 2011

WHY WOULD A TEACHER WANT TO DIVE INTO THE DIGITAL WORLD?

I attended a workshop yesterday, and the title of this post was an actual question from a horrifed teacher after she heard a litany of the legal pitfalls inherent when teachers  invite the internet into their classrooms. It reminded me of my learning over the past 3 years, and I realized how daunting it was to me when I began. As this blog has documented, there is no going back for Healigan. So I put together a quick list of what I'm reading now that might convince someone to try it. You'll like it.
These links and publications accessed in August 2011 speak to the essential nature of social media and the Internet  for our children's success. Careful, competent management of personal online skills and identity is not a choice for our children. Not a choice. I would recommend  the list below if I were starting from scratch at my school (thank God I am not). This list is not comprehensive, but I found myself making it as I cruised my Google Reader and Flipboard. I  imagined it as a good start for someone who was intimidated by the size and chaotic world in the cloud. I used to be that person...

How do we prepare our children for the future?  from Mind Shift August 2011


"Education needs a digital upgrade" There are no more jobs for docs & lawyers! from the NYT August 2011

The learning changes that occur when a child dives into the digital world in school and out. Schools need to use this info as they plan curriculum:

Spotlight on digital Media and learning.  MacArthur Foundation Site

10 Things You Don't Know about Teens and Social Networking:

Dept of Education about Blocking Sites in Schools:
50 Reasons to invite Facebook into your school. You may not agree, but you need to see this:
http://ow.ly/5P2lX

And what Edutopia has to say about social media and our schools:
http://tinyurl.com/3fqwofg

Have you thought what it really means to go paperless? Because CoolCatTeacher has:

A little older, but full of information and wisdom:
BOOK: Hanging out, Messing Around and Geeking Out    MIT Press

BOOK: Unmasking the Digital Truth  Wesley Fryer


1 comment:

MitchRodriquez @ English Atlanta said...

The digital world will be an eye opener of fun learning from a typical classroom scenario which always happens to students starting from the earlier years they set foot in the school. Making something fun for this students will help them enrich their knowledge thru the help of technology.