When I was growing up, the Grinch was on television once per year. On one evening in December, for one half hour, you had your chance to watch the Grinch. If you missed it, too bad, you had to wait another year for the Grinch to come around. In today's world of streaming video, Netflix, and DVDs, it would be absurd for us to have to wait for the Grinch for a whole year if we missed it. However, this is exactly what happens in thousands of schools each year. If a student doesn't understand fractions during the week they are taught, he or she often has to wait a year for the content to come around again. The simple fact is that many of our schools are teaching as if they were ABC in 1968.
I believe that it is both critical and non-negotiable that teaching and learning step forward and embrace technology to finally personalize education for today's students. For too long, education has used a classroom model where students move at a one-pace-fits-all rate. It is time to used blended models, flipped classrooms, effective video, and digital resources to transform today's classrooms into learning centers where every student can get the learning they need at the exact moment they need it.
Doing so aligns nicely with both constructivist (Driscoll, 2005) and connectivist (Siemens, 2008) learning theories. Blended and flipped learning plays well into the constructivist camp in that students are often given choice of both content and pace. This allows them to build and create learning rather than simply understanding fixed pathways of learning. By adding technology to the mix, students can connect beyond their classrooms to build and tap into personal learning networks that enrich learning even further. Increasing the effective use of technology in today's schools is a non-negotiable factor and critical to improving teaching and learning in our country.
References
Driscoll,
M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for
instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in
networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to
ITFORUM. Retrieved from http://itforum.coe.uga.edu/Paper105/Siemens.pdf
Your metaphor of the once-a-year moment spent watching the Grinch as it relates to educating our children so accurately portrays our current educational system nation wide. If we are serious about improving our classrooms, then we must begin training our teachers in how to effectively integrate technology in the classroom to not only individualize instruction, but to also build a climate where students are fully engaged in collaboration with other students and experts from around the world. Great post!!!
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