This amusing anecdote from a foam beer koozie humorously reflects what we have all been taught about learning history and reading great books. It is one of the reasons we study the foundations of education, how it has changed over time and how we adapt as a society. Though education has changed, there are many similarities still. It can also be applied to the digital age and the ever-changing technology we face in everyday life.
Like the age of enlightenment and the industrial revolution, modern technology often builds upon existing foundations and utilizes new approaches and applications. Therefore, it is important to understand the tools of today, how they have progressed over time and try to anticipate how they may change in the future.
Eric Sheninger suggests in his book, Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times, that school’s leaders need to acknowledge that today’s learners are wired differently as a result of the experiential learning that is taking place out of school and that traditional styles of teaching conflict with the styles of digital learners (Sheninger, 15). Most schools, administrators and faculty try to utilize technology and innovation in the classroom, but Yong Zhao of the University of Oregon says that the missing link is the thoughtful and meaningful application of technology to education (Sheninger, xiv).
According to leaders in the digital world, a systematic approach is needed. From my experience, a principle attends a conference, sees an interesting application of technology, instructs the IT guy to implement it and the teachers begrudgingly apply it in the classroom. In many cases, there is no proper training and support and the idea fails or limps along. Therefore, the cultivation of digital leaders is necessary for schools to keep pace with technology. We need someone with a proper understanding of how digital tools work, follows through with planning and anticipates changes and adapts accordingly.
Reference: Sheninger, Eric C. (2014). Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
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