The internet can take us there. Just think of what we can do right now. We can communicate globally with people around the world. We can reach out in seconds and connect with classrooms anywhere, anytime. We can share what we know and we can learn from the cultures of others. We have tools like e-Pals and telementoring sites to share our insights and get our questions answered. We have on-line mechanisms like Voicethread and Podcasts, Wikis and Blogs to present what we know and pose our queries. We can broadcast our biographies and blog about our boredom. We can podcast our politics and screencast our dreams. We can tweet and tag and text and google. We can even whisper in wikis. I think about a 1960s classroom when we all sat in rows in pretty lacey dressses and raised our hands to sneeze...when teachers were never questioned, and when we told to turn to page 253 in our textbooks and read about North Dakota, we DID IT. I shudder at the thought now. Why would I want to read about North Dakota in a textbook when I can skype my ePal in Katmandu and (literally) see how climbing is on Everest that day? Why would I want to make a salt map of Hawaii when I can Google Map it and virtually be there in seconds? Why would I want to make a paper mache model of the White House when I can Face Time my friend on her iPad who's visiting the White House and try to get a guard to giggle?
We need innovative, visionary thinking now more than ever, especially where the classroom is concerned. The innovation itself is here. It's at our fingertips. We educators have to be the ones to embrace the change and make it happen for our youth. They are hungry for it. Our amazingly diverse population of students are ready to step out into the chaos of today's technology and jump from high places. Will they jump alone? Will they jump blindfolded with their arms and legs tied tight? Will anyone be there to catch them? To guide them? To hold their hands and jump with them? Technology is our key to opening new doors, to turning down new pathways of illumination. Technology is the way to hold out my hand and greet my global brothers and sisters...to touch lives and be touched by the wisdom of the ages. I'm jumping off this cliff of adventure and revelation. Anyone coming with me?
Geronimo!!!