There’s a movement underway in K-12 education, and everyone’s a stakeholder. Children can access the entire world in the palm of their hands, and schools are rising to the challenge of integrating technology. When coupled with progressive curriculum design and delivery, technology can ignite the vital flame of curiosity for students.
Over the years, I’ve encountered diverse insights on how K-12 administrators, teachers and parents can keep up with the latest technological advancements. Today, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is empowering a community of school leaders to take an active role in shaping these trends.
Identifying trends
CoSN’s new Driving K-12 Innovation series is produced by educators, for educators. An international advisory board of more than 100 K-12 experts has identified three trends schools must navigate in order to spur extraordinary teaching and learning experiences:
1. Hurdles
These are organizational- and human-capacity challenges that force educators to slow down, prepare themselves and make the leap to innovation. Schools have a responsibility to understand how emerging technology impacts the skills students need to be successful in their continuing education and careers.
2. Accelerators
These are megatrends that drive the needs and skills expected of students and educators. Schools are embracing real-world learning experiences that promote student-generated ideas and solutions.
3. Tech enablers
These supporting tools expand opportunities and solutions. Some examples include augmented and virtual reality technologies, which enhance the physical world with interactive digital imagery and graphics.
Schools cannot afford to address these trends in isolation. Technology is allowing school leaders and educators to form communities of collaboration, and CoSN is committed to providing assistive resources to build a better bridge to the future.