What are we so afraid of?

When was the last time you left your house without your cell phone? Can you remember the last time you did not access the internet in a 24 hour time frame? When was the last time you opened a book to find an answer...?

If you are anything like most Americans, I would be willing to bet you never leave your cell phone at home (at least knowingly), you access the internet several times a day, and it has been a very long time since you opened a book to find an answer. It is quite obvious that our lives and society are changing at a rapid pace, and whether we like it or not society as we know it has taken on a sink or swim mentality.

Technology is changing faster than anyone could ever imagine. It seems as soon as we buy the newest and latest gadget, a new one is being prepared to be released to replace the one just purchased. What can we, and what must we learn from these societal changes? It is my sincerest hope that we take the initiative and accept these societal changes because they are going to continue, if not increase.

School districts and schools across the country are at the forefront of making sure students are prepared to be successful in a 21st century global economy. As a result, it is imperative we start developing our curricula around a 21st century world. As it stands now, America and most school districts are still clinging to an out-dated and archaic educational system. The educational process we use in America has not changed much over the last 50 years, and it is extremely naive to think the world has not changed in last 50 years.

America is in dire need of more educational leaders who have a vision. A vision that includes technology and the ever changing world in which we live. We should be embracing technology in our classrooms, and more importantly we should be encouraging students to push the envelope in terms of ways they can utilize technology in an educational setting. Most people would agree that kids are the most technologically advanced age group. Consequently, shouldn't we be trying to use kids and their technology to see how it can improve the educational process? It is time for us to stop pretending that we are integrating technology into our curricula. Educational leaders need to promote and support educational reform that prepares our students for their future, not our past.