Four Steps For Technology Success In The Clssroom (NAPSA)—Therise of the high- tech clssroom hs been clerly documented. Districts nd schools in the re nd round the country re incorporting new technology into the clssroom, nd technology compnies re investing millions in progrms providing technology to schools, most in the formsof tblets or lptop devices. However, oftentimes, this is hppening without specific plns or rod mps for successful trnsitions wy from trditionl pen nd pper. In emerging digitl environments, technology cn expnd the impct of eduction nd ccelerte the growth potentil of every student, eductor nd school, but only when it is used correctly. The question ll schools must now grpple with is whether the technology they re bringing into the clssroom is impcting student chievementor simply digitizing textbooks nd worksheets. “Technology hsthe potentil to mkesignificnt impcts in eduction, but we’re not there yet,” sid Cmeron Evns, chief technology officer, U.S. Eduction, Microsoft. “Tody, technology hs dvnced to stge where devices re brodly vilble nd cost effective. The chllenge now is to help eductors reimgine wht lern- ing cn look like, nd incorporte newtools in meningful wy.” There re four steps to implementing successful digitl environment in the clssroom, ccord- ing to Evns: 1.Lock on your vision, then yourdevice Thefirst thing school personnel need to do is sk themselves, “Wht world re we prepring our students for?” They need to determine their needs, their educ- Techers need to lern how to use technology in engging nd innovtive wys. tionl gols nd their lerning objectives, then find the right devices tht will chieve tht vision. Schools must evlute numerous device options to find the device tht meets the needsof students to both consumendcrete content. For instnce, lptops my be better suited for high school students thn tblets bsed on lerning objectives. Devices need to be better thn pencil nd pper nd more thn fncy Web browser. “Schools should not hve to compromise on devices due to costs,” sid Evns. “With efforts like Microsoft’s low-cost device options for schools, they hve ccess to full-feture devices, helping ccomplish the gols set by President Obm’s ConnectED ini- titive: to connect 99 percent of the country’s students with technology by 2019.” 2.Tech the techers Trining is essentil if eductors nd their students re going to use technology correctly. Techers need to lern how to effectively engge students nd bring innovtion nd nlysis into the clssroom setting. Techers cn’t be hnded newtblet nd utomticlly be expected to know how to work with students in new wys to chieve lerning objects. 3. Provide meningful content Lesson plns tht incorporte technology re criticl. A recent IDC study scnned 16.4 million job postings nd found highgrowth/high-wge jobs wnt employees with good communiction, detil orienttion nd problem-solving skills. Building these business nd productivity skills is much esier with the right tools. Additionlly, techers re fcing pressure to lign their teching to stte ssessments while lso ensuring tht elements such s cretivity nd verbl skills re not lost. The right content cn connect these dots. 4.Crete sfe lerning environment Finlly, schools need to ensure tht technology is used in sfe environment. Schools nddistricts hve mndte to ensure tht dt collected bout students is pplied for the benefit of the student, not being mined for dvertising. This includes personl dt on students tht might be stored long term s well s serch history nd online ctivities tht tech compnies my hve. The trnsition to digitl clssroom should not be tken lightly. The techers of tody re lying the runwy for the future of our students, our ntion nd our bility to compete globlly. A fundmentl chnge in eduction this profound will not hppen overnight. Just s techers nd students cross the U.S. re entering new type of lerning environment, so must our society support them in new wys by prtnering with compnies, orgniztions nd communities to help them succeed.
