"Education is the only business still debating the usefulness of technology. Schools remain unchanged for the most part, despite numerous reforms and increased investments in computers and networks." Rod Paige U.S. Secretary of Education

Today's students have never known a time when they didn't have access to a rich source of technology tools.  All aspects of their lives involves some aspect of digital devices.  Facebook, MySpace, You Tube, cell phones, portable audio devices such as the iPod and the Zune, and digital cameras all part of their daily lives.  Why can't the classroom integrate those same learning tools that students are connected to in their everyday lives?  The most recent National Educational Technology Report includes statements made by students to include the fact they want and expect to learn with technology in the classroom. 

Tulsa Public Schools has provided teachers with a wealth of resources to accommodate our students...technology training, individual teacher websites to include wikis and blogs, web connections, and digital devices.  What better way to promote student engagement in the classroom?  As Marc Prensky appropriately states, engaged Digital Natives become active learners.

Crossing the Digital Divide:  Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

Did You Know This?

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The Gap Between Digital Learners & Traditional Teachers
Digital Learners Prefer:	Many Educators Prefer:
receiving info quickly from multiple multimedia sources	slow & controlled release of info from limited sources
parallel processing & multi-tasking	singular processing & single or limited tasking
processing pictures, sounds, color, & video before text	to provide text before pictures, sounds, & video
random access to hyper-linked multimedia information	to provide info linearly, logically, & sequentially
to network simultaneously with many others	students to work independently before they network & interact
to learn "just in time"	to teach "just in case"
instant gratificaiton & immediate rewards	deferred gratification & delayed rewards
learning that's relevant, active, instantly useful & fun	feel compelled to teach to the curriculum guide & tests