The above VoiceThread talks about Access as one of the nine elements of Digital Citizenship. I have to say that for me, access is one of the most important factors in technology. The VoiceThread mentions the digital gap, the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not. That gap has the potential to further alienate the poor from participation in society. The divide between socioeconomic levels is widening. Those who have are continuing to gain more and the have-nots are left behind. Technology has the power to level that playing field, especially in the realm of education, if we can figure out a way to make it accessible to all.

I would love to see more cities and communities offer free wifi for their citizens. While there have been well-publicized failures such as Philadelphia and San Francisco, there have also been many successes. Cities should learn from both and endeavor to offer this all-important tool to their community. Schools should use budget money to supply technology to students individually. This technology should be used in the classroom on a daily basis. Students shouldn’t have to go to the computer lab to access programs; they should be using it in every class, every day. Kids are using technology at home to be engaged and creative. This engagement should follow them to the classroom.

Technology is playing a major role in engaging students with special needs who in the past have not been able to participate fully in education. Assistive technology such as touch screens and voice recognition software is opening avenues for learning to students who were previously disengaged. The possibilities for technology expand to all students. But access is the key. What can we do to make sure that technology is available to all?

Examples of the abuse and misuse of technology are easy to find; downloading music illegally, bullying other students on the internet, online stalking by predators, and sexting on cell phones, to name a few. There are stories in the media every day that frighten us, and rightfully so. But fears should not cause us to overreact. Education is the key to harnessing technology for good, not evil.

The history in the United States of censorship is vast. In music, Elvis Presley caused such a stir that he was only seen from the waist up on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the national outcry over the lyrics in rap music rallied citizens on both the left and right side of the political spectrum. Television has the v-chip and the internet has filters. Banning books has gone on for centuries and continues today while newspapers are prevented from showing pictures of coffins holding soldiers killed in Iraq. In many instances, censorship was done “for the good of the children” as parents and concerned citizens tried to protect children from harmful influences.

But we all know… where there’s a will, there’s a way. Trying to limit access to anything only makes them want it more. They’ll watch the off-limits shows on a friends television, meet the boyfriend we don’t like at the movies, and get around blocked internet sites at school by going to the proxy sites. We need to take the proactive approach. We need to educate students so they can make good decisions when they encounter the questionable situations that will inevitably occur. Technology is a powerful tool when used in the right way; and that takes education.

But how do we achieve this? Most curriculum materials I’ve come across are aimed at students in middle and high school. But kids today begin using technology at a very young age, and by the time they reach middle school are already entrenched in their habits. Presenting them with curriculum about proper uses of technology will probably elicit laughter or yawns. We must reach students at a younger age. Digital citizenship shouldn’t be taught one year in a social studies class. Similar to reading, it should permeate the curriculum starting early, perhaps in the second or third grade. We should use technology every to inspire in all subjects and take every opportunity to remind students of the elements of digital citizenship. But we only have them in the classroom for a portion of their day.

Parents are the key to whether students misuse technology. They spend the most time with kids, have the most influence over them, and are in a position to support or hinder the educational efforts of the school. Many times students are just following the example of their parent’s poor technology decisions. Any good digital citizenship program has to include the parents. Of course they should be involved in planning the program. But more importantly, educating parents on digital citizenship is just as important as educating the child.

Education, not overreaction, is the answer. Happy learning.

• For more information on censorship and youth, I might seek out a book I came across entitled, Not in Front of the Children.

Having a vision is important. It’s a road map for where we want to go and how to get there. If you don’t have a vision or goal, you risk doing things the way they’ve always been done. And as Albert Einstein said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”

That quote was included in a video I just finished watching entitled Did You Know, which had some very interesting information about the world with respect to education and the effects of technology. I wasn’t surprised by the information; but the video did a great job of synthesizing what we already know, that the world is changing at lightning speed, and encouraging us as educators, parents, and concerned citizens to re-imagine education and how it will meet that challenge.

Technology has the potential to completely change education. But too many educators, policy makers, and legislators are married to curriculum as it stands today…drill and spill, teach to the test, improve those test scores. We still follow the same model of schools which prepared students for the factories of our forefathers which don’t exist any more. Wesley Fryer, author of the blog Moving at the Speed of Creativity, just did a great post on the continued emphasis on “rigorous curriculum,” Considering Rigor in light of 21st Century Skills, ePortfolios, and Digital Identity. Much like the Did You Know video, it encourages completely re-thinking education and how it is delivered. We should not just use technology to deliver curriculum as it exists today. We need to start with a clean slate. What should education look like today and in the future? What should schools look like? What kind of curriculum will serve students and prepare them for an ever-changing future?

My vision is to use technology to inspire students. The first tool I’ve found that I would like to utilize is called The Flat Classroom Project. It is a global collaboration project that brings together middle and high school students. As the Did You Know video pointed out, population growth is occurring most rapidly in Asia and college graduates in India and China outnumber the U.S. three to one. Opening communication and building relationships with people across the world is a skill that is vital to students and to the future of commerce, environmental issues, human rights issues, and political relations to name a few. It’s happening outside the classroom. Did You Know pointed out that if the registered users of MySpace were a country, they would be the 8th largest country in the world. How can we harness these connections inside the classroom?

The cell phone presents another opportunity, even though it’s not currently seen in that way. My son is forbidden to have one at his school. Have you gotten in trouble for cell phone use in the classroom? Imagine the possibilities if we looked at cell phones in a new light. Wesley Fryer has some great information on using Cells Phones for Learning at Teach Digital. I haven’t read all the information yet, but I know I will be using it as a resource when planning my lessons.

Those are just two components of a vision that I am continually working on. I would love to hear about your vision for the future of education and even your classroom. We can learn from and inspire each other. Collaboration and sharing resources is what it’s all about. And in that spirit, find some additional reading on technology and learning at Hacking Education. Till next time, happy learning.