Teacher Resources Websites

EdTech Action Network


Today I ran across this wonderful site, EdTech Action Network, that is working to remind our leaders of the importance of educational technology. They have posted the following letter on the front page of their site. You can help out by signing the petition for giving our kids a 21st century education. Please take a minute (that is truly all it takes) to sign this petition. I am assuming that if you are reading a technology in education blog such as this one that you have discovered the importance of technology in education. I love the motto on the EdTech Action Network’s site “Children + Technology = America’s Future” I couldn’t agree more!

“Dear Next President,

We believe that it is critical that our next President make ensuring our nation’s K-12 students receive a 21st Century Education a top priority.

Recent
data shows that the stakes for our students acquiring 21st Century
technology skills and knowledge have never been higher in terms of
their own and our nation’s economic prosperity. For instance:

  • The Department of Labor reports that out of 55 industries, education is last in its use of technology.
  • In the majority of schools, teachers and students cannot maximize the potential of technology.
  • By 2010, if current trends continue, more than 90 percent of all scientists and engineers will be living in Asia.
  • Since
    the 1960s, the demand for skills has changed significantly – the demand
    for routine manual task skills have decreased, while the demand for
    non-routine interactive task skills have increased significantly.

Our children not only deserve but require an American education that
harnesses the power of technology to individualize learning, one that
ensures that they are prepared to compete academically for top grades
and globally for the best paying jobs. In our estimation, a 21st Century Education should include the following elements:

  • Every
    student learning in an environment that reflects the technology replete
    world in which we live, including ready access to sophisticated
    computing devices, instructionally sound digital content that
    facilitates self-paced learning, and broadband-level bandwidth
    necessary to support cutting-edge digital applications and services.
  • Every
    teacher possessing the technology tools and skills necessary to use
    technology in the classroom and to integrate technology and digital
    resources seamlessly into classroom learning.
  • Every
    parent utilizing technology to monitor student academic progress,
    communicate with educators regarding academic matters, and access
    online and digital resources to assist their children’s studies.

We call on the next President, in partnership with Congress, to take these
bold steps to ensure a 21st Century Education, including:

  • Supporting access for all students to technology and the Internet.
  • Increasing federal funding for education technology through the Department of Education’s budget.
  • Preserving
    the E-Rate and providing robust bandwith in all classrooms to allow
    students and educators to use the cutting-edge digital applications and
    services.
  • Incorporating
    technology literacy and facility into state teacher standards, teacher
    training, and professional development.
  • Encouraging student technology literacy by the eighth grade.”

Click here to sign the petition nowOh by the way, they have a great url: onegiantleapforkids.org– how fun is that?!

Founder of Anastasis Academy, The Learning Genome Project, 5Sigma Education Conference, tech integration specialist, instructional coach, writer, dreamer.

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3 Comments

  1. To see really exciting new multimedia literacy try out Inanimate Alice. http://www.inanimatealice.com And its a free online resource!
    More an interactive piece of fiction than a traditional game, Inanimate Alice: Episode 4 continues the story of the young game animator as she leaves her home in Russia and travels abroad. Inanimate Alice serves as both entertainment and a peek into the future of literature as a fusion of multimedia technologies. The haunting images and accompanying music and text weave a remarkably gripping tale that must be experienced to be believed.
    And better still for schools there is a piece of software now available that allows learners to create their own stories. Valuable for all forms of literacy and this is being sold as a perpetual site licence for schools at £99 ! http://www.istori.es

  2. Alan, this is a really cool site! It is taking me a while to get through all of the stories but I am loving them so far. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  3. Episode 4 takes place somewhere in England, after Alice has had adventures in China, Italy and Russia.

    Episode 1 can now be read in Afrikaans! Amazing! Alice in Africa next?

    Learners can write their additions to the saga by using the iStories software. http://www.istori.es

    But the great thing is that could be a really useful social networking opportunity. When does Alice get to America and Africa?

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