Assignment #1 Digital Natives

I am always eager to use any educational tool that helps learners succeed, specifically technology. As my district begins its 1:1 initiative for fifth graders, I must admit that lately I have been  concerned about the potential pitfalls of each student having an iPad.  Author Mark Prensky maintains in his article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants that digital immigrant instructors speak an outdated language and are struggling to speak to a population that speaks and entirely new language.  Prensky's article essentially promotes the idea that education must adapt to the way digital natives learn because "...today's students are no longer the people our education system was designed to teach." I have mixed feelings about this assumption.  I agree that today's students think and process differently as a result of being surrounded and immersed with technology, but doesn't the same argument apply to the heavily accented digital immigrants?

As a principal, I must support educators who may be digitally frozen and resist embracing technology and differentiating to meet the needs to  their learners. (I acknowledge that as time progresses, these educators will be fewer and far between) To support these teachers, it will be my job to find a team of experts within the building who have found success with digital integration who will collaborate by coaching their peers with tools and strategies.  Conversely, as a principal, I must support educators who wholly embrace technology. Many educators will be engaged in utilizing as much technology as they can get into their classrooms, which I must cultivate as my building's instructional leader.

As a principal, I must not only model digital responsibility, but I must promote and establish policies related to the ever evolving digital culture.  Thinking about next school year's 1:1 classrooms, many educators will need support ensuring classrooms and students are ensuring safe and ethical use of technology.  As Uncle Ben states, "With great power, comes great responsibility".