Students Today...

Students today are pursuing an education for jobs that haven't even been invented yet, just as today's graduates entered jobs that weren't around ten years ago.  To prepare these students for their futures in an ever-changing world, educators must present them with opportunities to not only be familiar with the technology available but to be literate and successful at using it.  With the vast amount of children already using computers and other electronics from a very young age, it is important to enhance their experiences and make learning relevant to how they will work in college and the 'real-world'...on electronics.

The world is also more connected now than ever, thanks to the internet and other improvements.  With that, students will need to be able to compete academically and professionally with others not just from their community or nation, but from around the world.  Our students need to graduate from high school and college knowing how to be capable, efficient, problem-solvers.  While in school, our students-especially the younger students-need to be made aware of how big the internet really is and how they must be careful with the information and the people they connect with through it.  Many of my class projects involve research - much of which we do on the internet, and while it is a valuable tool, it can also be a scary place for teachers and parents to allow their children access to - especially for something with as any options as research lends itself to having.  It has been a challenge to find ways for my elementary-aged students to utilize the internet for research and projects while, at the same time, keeping them on sites appropriate for their viewing and participation.  I have discovered some helpful sites and look forward to there being more ways to use the internet (and other forms of technology) in my classroom so that my students have the capabilities to use technology safely.