Speak up 2009

This article focuses on education in the 21st century.  Students, regardless of community, demographics, socio-economic productivity, age, race, gender, etc. now have the ability to use technology as a platform of education.  As I learn more and more about web based learning I can see the benefits of having computers in the classroom.  Now we as educators can tap into the web and use the millions of sites in order to engage our students in a different, more hands on approach, of learning.  Some students are capable of learning information through lecture or reading information in a book, but many students like myself find it difficult to concentrate for long periods of time if they are not actively involved in the lesson.  Students are learning about all kinds of different things outside of the classroom.  They are involved with all kinds of social learning or social websites, blog sites, etc.  Students are using these sites in order to get help or information and if there are web based forums that students can communicate and/or collaborate outside of school in order to further their education or get help.   Now the teachers must get on the same page in order to keep up or to see how the class feels about the lesson or the information given in class.  Is the information well presented, or does it keep the focus of the students, are students interested, and we can figure all this out by reading what the students are talking about.  I feel like I am behind when it comes to social networking.  I was always anti Facebook and other social networks, but everyone is using them for all types of reasons.  The students of today have technology at their fingertips, and as educators we need to take advantage of this in order to reevaluate how we present information to the class.
I believe that technology is an amazing way to cut down spending in education as well.  Huge expenses in education are from text books, and paper.  With the virtual world of education we can do away with turning in hard copy papers, sending out hand outs, ordering new text books every year, etc.  We now have the ability to turn in all papers, reports, activities, handouts, etc. via email.  We can keep in touch with students and their parents by making a class forum where all the assignments, and lesson plans can be revisited from home or outside of the classroom.  Technology just makes the information more readily available.  There no more excuses like my dog ate my homework unless the dog ate the computer.  the digital age is upon us.  Its time to take advantage.