The Genie Is Out Of The Bottle

Digital media has slowly carved out a niche for itself in our homes. We read, hear, watch, stream, create and share digital content virtually every day. For some of us, it has grown beyond a niche and become a 600 pound gorilla that dominates our home. As digital media has become a pervasive element in our homes, we are transferring it into our classrooms to become as visible an instructional tool as the chalkboard and the textbook.

A recent survey by PBS and Grunwald Associates shows that the majority of K-12 teachers are using digital media in their classroom to help them provide a more engaging, creative and collaborative learning experience for their students, especially those with different learning styles and abilities. They use many types of digital media and value games and activities that allow students to experiment and learn at their own pace. Teachers are increasingly using digital media to communicate and collaborate with their peers across the hall and across the country. The 2009 survey, which included pre-kindergarten teachers for the first time, show similar trends for the teachers of our very youngest learners.

This trend will never reverse itself and will only accelerate. Fasten your seatbelts!

- Diane