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But now we’re at the tipping point - technology is no longer a tool, but an environment. It’s ubiquitous, pervasive, and is happening with or without educator consent. It enables things never before possible, and students are doing those things, again with or without us. With free online courses from highly regarded individuals and institutions, learning has never been more readily accessible.
But
that learning is beginning to bypass our school systems that are wedded to an
analog model of “educational technology” which persists in setting technology
apart. “Any time, any place” learning is no longer just a description for the
few students enrolled in online courses, but an apt description of what our
students’ lives are like.
So
why is this the most pressing issue? If we as educators can’t tap into this
paradigm shift, we run the risk of becoming irrelevant. We can call ourselves
the gatekeepers of formal education as much as we want, but now there are
performance-based badging systems and real-world digital portfolios that
students can use to prove their competency. We must facilitate an environment
in which students can explore new ideas in a deep and meaningful way, and help
students to identify and nurture their passions
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