Digital Learning: The Pole Position of the Classroom

The Namco 1982 game Pole Position came
out, and helped revolutionize technology.
Educators are in the driver seat now
to embrace and catapult digital learning
for tomorrow's problem solvers.

We are a far cry from the 1980s with Atari and Pole Position. Technology is everywhere. We have allowed it to become part of our culture. However, I'd be a hypocrite if I said that we should be cautious about the use of digital tools while I use my own cell phone all day for conference calls, Go To Meetings, emails, texts, resources, pictures, etc. Yet, here I am urging us all to take pause in how digital tools are embedded within our life. I am 100% okay with -- and in fact promote -- digital learning environments. What I am not okay with is the lack of understanding that goes with a digital environment.

Like it or hate it -- digital learning is here and it's not going to crash around turn four. Therefore, we have a responsibility to fully understand the pedagogy behind digital learning. It's not enough to simple give students a device and say use. We cannot take a textbook, turn it into a PDF and say we are a one to one environment in schools. Our ultimate goal in integrating purposefully digital learning is to maximize the learning experiences of students to provide opportunities where we challenge their thinking, stretch their creativity, and build solutions to problems that exist. Anything less than these goals is short-sighted and a waster of money, time, and resources.

Yet, here we are. As the school year comes to an end, the role of the teacher is just ramping up for reflection, fine tuning, and growing in our own professional learning. The fallacy of "summers off" for teachers is more false now than ever before in education. Educators, this is our opportunity to truly take a deep dive in why we are investing our time in digital learning. How are you going to invest in your curriculum this year to create meaningful, purposeful, and 'out of the ball park' lesson design really challenge your future learners? Now is the time. There's only one Pole Position. Are you ready to jump in the driver's seat?