I have been reviewing Technology-Rich Instruction: Classrooms in the 21st Century, my book that was published in 2015 and discovering how much of it seems dated. (This observation is despite my desire to write a book that would inform teachers and education leaders for longer than the typical 6-18 months we can expect from a book on educational technology.
Of the ideas that I did develop in that book, and that appear to have the longest staying power is the idea that learners are changing and how teachers and educators perceive them must change as well. I called this the “Learners Dimension” and it captures the nature of today’s learners and the nature of experiences that will lead to their becoming “educated.”
Recently, I have been reading some works by John Dewey. This is an activity I recommend all educators undertake on a regular basis. I find Dewey to be difficult to read on occasion, so rereading helps one to more clearly understand the nuances of his ideas about teaching and learning. MY reading of Dewey is also on screen–I am using it as an opportunity to become more facile at highlighting, commenting, and sharing what I read on screen. Here is one of the screen shots that I captured and shared that connects with my thinking. This is also leading me to the conclusion that the future of education lies in our past as we rediscover and refresh the ideas of Dewey and similar thinkers for our students.