Digital Fix ~ Part VII "Bright Future"

Bright Future

Fortunately, this reconfiguration has been taking place for over a decade. Academic leaders such as Ravitz, Wong, and Becker (1999), have pointed out the importance of adjusting teacher attitude to promote institutional change. Marc Prensky (2001) has coined the term digital natives to describe our present generation of learners and fiber optic cables have connected the world creating a global platform for education. Faculty at M.I.T. are using palm technology called palmagatchi to teach science ( Klopfer, Yoon, & Perry, 2005) and Harvard’s department of education oversees the River City Project; a Multi-User-Virtual-Environment for learning (Blaisdell, 2006).

That said America’s public school officials can’t expect to go to bed one night and wake up the next day to find technologically integrated classrooms complete with engaged learners and enthusiastic teachers. Tomorrow’s schools are being built click by click as small battles are fought and won on a daily basis. Granted, the journey has not been easy, but don’t turn back now, a new day is dawning and I guarantee the view will be spectacular.