Moving Forward

If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow.
- John Dewey

Author and Educator Scott McLeod publishes a web page (a wiki to be precise) called Moving Forward. It's a collection of articles, blogs (weblogs), and tutorials underscoring the importance of preparing today's children for 21st century challenges through contemporary learning experiences and technology resources.

Today's young learners are online, connected, wireless. They accessorize with cell phones and iPods. They build informational and social networks that extend beyond their neighborhood, beyond state lines, across oceans. They learn and share cultures, languages, stories, and songs with people they've never met. They produce and publish original material for a worldwide audience. And if they're not doing this now, they will -- soon. Oh, one more thing. Much of this activity is done without adult involvement.

This is our world, where "digital natives" run free and "digital immigrants," the rest of us born before the 20th century's twilight years, are left in their wake, a little befuddled, and maybe even a bit envious of their tech savvy and joy. But the immigrants are not without a role in this globalized and technology-infused (if not enriched) world.

In this "New World," there's still a place for "Old World" values. It is incumbent upon adults today, teachers and parents, to help children navigate through this world safely, responsibly, and respectfully as citizens of the world; to develop their own technology savvy, to learn the language of their children, and impress upon them the obligations of family, community, and citizenship.

The world has changed. It has been changed by new technologies, getting newer everyday, giving birth to a world that according to Thomas Friedman is now Flat (again!). The purpose of the Edgewood TechBlog is to help immigrants with this responsibility of preparing our children for 21st century challenges. Each post will feature technology news, resources, tutorials and tips, or members of the Edgewood community who are getting us Moving Forward. I hope you find this blog useful.

Until the next post, just know that while this challenge is daunting, things could be worse.