Are We Ready for 21st Century Education?

The integration of technology into the classroom has changed drastically in this new decade of the 21st century. I was thinking back to when I was in high school in the mid 1980s, and I had one computer class that focused on learning BASIC, no cell phone, no Internet, and no computer at home! Now, technology has become a permanent fixture in students' lives, and as educators, we must be ready to equip our students with the technological knowledge they need to succeed in today's world.

Reading the "Educator Preparation and Development" section of the Texas Education Agency's Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 helped reiterate the fact that technology has changed the face of education and teachers must adapt to this new environment. No longer can educators rely on antiquated philosophies or passive ways of teaching. They must be aware of and utilize the technology that is available, realize how it will benefit their teaching and the learning that happens in their classrooms, and most importantly, use technology as a means to lead students down the paths to future success.

Schools must provide training to ensure teachers understand the importance of technology and how they can best implement this knowledge to benefit their students. This challenge is difficult for teachers who are considered 'digital immigrants,' or those who did not grow up with technology in the classroom. They often rely on tried and true methods of teaching that might have worked successfully in the past; however, in today's world they are doing a great disservice to their students by not integrating technology into the classroom. Teachers considered 'digital natives,' or those who grew up with technology in the classroom, have an advantage in that they have experienced technology first hand in an educational setting, and are more likely to have received technology training in an educator preparation program.

However, there is hope for all teachers to learn to embrace technology. Administrators should encourage technology use by requiring educators to adhere to the SBEC Technology Applications Standards. All teachers should also be provided with online learning opportunities to keep current with today's technology trends. According to this report, accepting the need for change is an important first step for educators to integrate technology.

The State of Texas has many recommendations for effectively integrating technology to the Texas Education Agency, the State Board of Education Certification, regional education service centers, local education agencies, Texas Higher Education, as well as parents, communities, and the private sector. If all of these organizations agreed to make technology in the classroom a priority, our students would definitely be on their way to becoming model 21st century citizens.