Who would have thought even ten years ago that our world would be so dominated by the internet? Whenever I talk to my parents about when they were growing up and in school, they always tell me how they never even imagined there could be anything like computers or the internet. They had to actually go to the library and check out BOOKS (I know the concept is foreign to most people) and type their assignments on a typewriter. Most of the people in my generation have never even seen a typewriter! As a so-called "digital-native", someone who has grown up with technology, I cannot even imagine a world without computers and the internet and HDTV and all the other things we take for granted every day. It is hard to think that in 10 years, all the technology we are using right now might possibly (and probably will be) obsolete. However, I'm sure my parents never thought anything could top the electric typewriter!
As for School 2.0, I think that is a fancy term for the inevitable. If schools do not jump on the technology bandwagon, they will be left behind. I know a lot of older teachers are resistant to even use email. Completely reinventing your teaching style to accommodate changes in technology has to be daunting, but sometimes change is good. The truth is, technology is making teaching not necessarily easier, but definitely less stressful. There are so many wonderful resources for teachers on the internet. The possibilities are endless! You can talk to other teachers to get ideas about lesson plans, worksheets and activities can be printed off the internet, students can learn on their own and even be assessed on a computer! Teachers need to stop resisting technology and embrace it to enrich their classrooms and their students' learning experiences.
As for schools of the future, who knows where we will be in terms of technology even 5 years from now. Once I get my own classroom, there might not even be a whiteboard anymore. Who knows?! Students are exposed to technology in every aspect of their lives outside of school, so when they come to school, they expect the same. If we don't provide positive outlets and opportunities to use technology to enrich learning, students will be bored and uninterested in school. I think that tools such as TeacherTube, Flickr, GoogleMaps, etc. are wonderful resources that should be utilized to their full extent to create a learning environment that is relevant.
KBearden:]
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