Rahim

The most important change technology brings is it lets students take charge of their own learning.

Article summaryBy Rahim

This is not happening in many classrooms only a few.

A key reason is that schools are blocking access to the very tools that allow such activity.

If you ask teacher or administrators what one indicator they would look for to show that real learning was occurring in a classroom.

Most people would say they’d like to see that students were engaged in the lesson.

In most classrooms educators describe students as engaged.

There is still a dependency on the teacher to direct the learning.

Rather than students themselves.

The workforce is one resource that companies value most in this new global economy.

Two questions school leaders should ask to determine a class is engaged student –directed learning is.

Are students adding value to the learning of other students.

Is info flowing out of the classroom to the larger community and not just in?

November recommended that school leaders should give teacher access to Skype.

Skype is software that lets users make free phone calls over the internet.

If a student misuses a social tool such as YouTube the press hears about it.

A former history teacher describe how teachers could use Skype to engage students.

Many school leaders block student’ access to online social tools.

This is because schools are responsible for what goes on in the classroom.

The resulting publicity could ruin a school leader’s career.

If you teach every student how to use YouTube for lifelong learning.

Showing students how to find valuable educational information .

A light speed executive suggested another solution for leaders:

Monitor, rather than block, students’ use of online social tools.